What Best Friends are For
by trekkiexb5
Summary: He wouldn't put it past a Kurosaki to blackmail him into putting themselves into danger: During the Bleach movie 2: Diamond Dust Rebellion. FIXED EPILOGUE! Final scrub completed.
1. Prologue

"What Best Friends are for."

A Bleach Fan Fiction.

Written by trekkiexb5.

Hitsugaya/K. Kurosaki friendship. Rated T for language.

Based on BLEACH THE MOVIE 2: DIAMOND DUST REBELLION.

SYNOPSIS: He wouldn't put it past a Kurosaki to blackmail him into putting them into danger: DDR.

DISCLAIMER: If Bleach was mine, episode 132 would be canon. And you would be seeing MUCH more of the "side" characters than Ichigo.

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Otherwise henceforth known as the Author's Rant. If you wanna skip it, go ahead. It's on your head that you won't know why the author finds Hinamori the worst character in the series. Go to the line of repeating X's both capitalized and not and read away.

XXX

XXX

Ok, just the fooli…err the HIGHLY INTELLIGENT people are left. Here we go:

I LOVE the character of Hitsugaya. Of all the Gotei 13, he is the most interesting to get into the mind of. Though Gin is looking really good due to recent manga developments. Toshiro is a character that could be played one-dimensional, as Hiyori is. You know the type, bratty snotty kiddie I-know-it-alls that plague modern fiction and are used usually for laughs. But he is not, and I thank Tite Kubo for that from the bottom of my heart. While he gets more screenplay than most of the Captains, it isn't enough, and when I finally saw the movie last month, in junction with episode 132, it inspired me.

Stating I never even had any desire to see a match up with any character OC or otherwise until episode 132. Thank you nameless anime story writer for giving us that non-canon but beautifully sweet little story. If it was Tite…why the hell isn't it canon already?

WHY NO KKxTH? I will state for a fact I FIRMLY support the romance between these two characters. Just not at 11 years old. Which, despite all his genius, he is in human years. Call me old fashioned. Why not just jump ahead to the mushy parts? The fun part of a romance is the build up.

WHY with the Himamori hate? She's so vanilla. Sorry, she is. Stereotypical obsessed one-sided unrequited love with a man she REFUSES to see as the most evilly emancipative person that ever existed. Sorry, been there, read that. As a person who has seen the scary side of mental health, she is someone who would be drugged up and locked away in a permanent mental health facility. There are people who can be helped, and there are people who refuse to be help. I know of a friend who is like that, and she doesn't take her meds and her whole family suffers when she refuses reality even when it is staring at her. My patience with her died a few years ago, and when I started watching Bleach, Himamori acts EXACTLY like her.

She will be mentioned, she will be remarked and even in a story in the future at some point, hey, I might be resigned to "fix" her, but she shouldn't be the center of Toshiro's universe. He deserves better.

JAPANESE LANGUAGE: I am an English speaking person who likes speaking English but is horrid with other languages. I do have a lot of respect for other cultures, though. Here are my rules with anime fan fiction: Names of ordinary objects that have an English equivalent will be in English. Such as Captain and Soul Reaper (I do confess I like shinigami better). Names of objects that have no English base, such as tabi, Kimono or are a proper noun, such as peoples' names, will remain in Anglicized Japanese.

Kubo gave a TON of terms to learn when watching this series, adding whole Japanese phrases, in my opinion, detracts from the story, especially if the reader is constantly looking the words up. I generally stop reading stories if I have to break out the Japanese dictionary.

Speaking of which, the phrase "Sit upon the Frozen Heavens," I never liked. "Reign over the Frozen Heavens" has more impact and FAR more regal. I dislike changing Canon too much, but this one, you are going have to let it slide. This story remains parallel to canon as much as possible, just that the times are stretch a little.

XXX

This story is First Person POV: Hitsugaya.

Diamond Dust Rebellion is a must see, and 132 would be nice. I'm placing DDR a few months before the Winter War.

THANKS TO:

MY HUSBAND, who put up with ENDLESS repeats of DDR and me stopping every 15 seconds and blathering about whether the subtitled or dubbed version is better. At 2 am.

TO MY BETA: and bestest friend, Stephanie. She has put up with my run on and one sentence paragraphs for over two decades. Bless her, I don't deserve her.

TO DONALD: No football is NOT more important than anime. You lived in Japan for how many years and you haven't figured it out yet? Geez.

TO BLEACHWIKI: THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! You guys have been my reference for spelling, and backgrounds.

Finally, to Lady Callista, Ryfee and especially Etiena's stories. "Catalyst" is on my lists at the top of "Best Story Ever" and has me imaging how the story will end. May this story be half as good as those ones.

And now for the Letter line.

XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX

Prologue:

Damn, Damn, DAMN!

What was I supposed to do? It was pure chance that Squad 10 pulled the Ouin guard duty. It was supposed to be Squad 9's turn, but those three traitors…

DAMN…Momo!

I know I shouldn't have chased after the thief, or at least gave orders to Matsumoto, but when he stabbed me I felt the icy tentacles of the past; I felt the familiar spirit…

The false one, they told me. I was the true one.

Wasn't I?

45 years…NOW I question? Why haven't I questioned it before? Why didn't I ask?

Damn it to HELL!

Again, the traitors' past actions would make it impossible to return to the Seireitei, now. The minute I impulsively chose this route, I lost EVERYTHING. I knew it too, and I did it anyways, to forsake my oaths. I lost my few friends and many comrades, my honor, my Haori. But I knew I had to do this alone. I felt it this was my only choice.

Wasn't it?

It doesn't matter, the Old Man's righteous paranoia will rule the day in the end. Stupid old people! They never think, and they judge with tradition rather than facts; and he is famous for doing that.

I am alone in this, as it should be. No one else should carry a burden that is mine alone to carry. Rangiku would have followed me in this all the way to the gates of hell and beyond, but she doesn't deserve this, not after Gin. Though it would look like I am just another Gin. Or Tosen.

Or Aizen.

DAMN!

No, no…I must do this alone…but the wound; it cut deeper than I first realized. I feel the pain, and it is quickly sapping my strength. I have been injured worse and survived to walk away from the battlefield with little or no issues; why is this one so draining? I cannot seem to be able to heal myself, and being in the world of the living; getting a gigai will be next to impossible. Urahara wouldn't turn me in, but he would most certainly stick his nose in my business. No gigai.

Hell.

This damnable wound is so draining; I am starting to wonder if I am poisoned, and my prey is long since disappeared. Kusaka…damn! Why now? This is something that is happening so close to war. Another one of Aizen's psychological games?

I am disorientated, but I manage to focus keeping a firm lock on my reiatsu. It was the very first thing I learned at the academy, and I excelled at it. I would never harm a loved one with my spiritual pressure alone.

?

Soifon put a barrier. Not surprising but I hoped she would be slower in responding. Damn! I am too close to her. I am on the outside of her kido barrier. Probably preserving the crime scene, but she will widen her interests soon. Her stealth force dogs may already be here sniffing outside the barrier. Damn the world, it is becoming blurry and fuzzy. I...I cannot shunpo anymore…

I drop to the ground rather ungracefully from the above the treetops. I have to get away, but I cannot remember which way the barrier is. I need to leave. They will follow me and…

Damn.

Ichigo is here, too? Damn that kid! Stupid damnable Kurosaki idiocy doesn't need to be involved…

"It's snowing?"

"No. He must have been hiding his spiritual pressure."

Now the Quincy boy is here, too? Damn my karma! They are nearby…

God damned world is spinning…I see two figures ahead of me…My control is slipping… Blackness creeps into my vision…

For a second time today, the ground rushes up to me, this time, not so gentle landing.

"Toushirou!"

Before the blackness consumes me, I wonder if should correct him and I wonder if I now have the right.

Damn you Kusaka! Even if I win, you will still win!


	2. And so the Great Blackmail Begins

"What Best Friends are for."

A Bleach Fan Fiction.

Written by trekkiexb5.

Hitsugaya/K. Kurosaki friendship. Rated T for language.

Based on BLEACH THE MOVIE 2: DIAMOND DUST REBELLION.

SYNOPSIS: He wouldn't put it past a Kurosaki to blackmail him into putting them into danger: DDR.

DISCLAIMER: If Bleach was mine, I wouldn't have thought up Bleach 414 and 415…What a twist!

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

OOC on the part of Hitsugaya is due to the fact that he just got his world ripped out from underneath him. I would like to add that it is First Person POV, so what he says in his mind is not what he says out loud. Also, we will now deviate slightly from the movie.

_flashback_

CHAPTER ONE:

AND SO THE GREAT BLACKMAIL BEGINS

"_We are friends, right?"_

DAMN those Kurosakis. I swear the deities are actively plotting against me. But, honestly, I am grateful. The Onmitsukido would have widened their search far past the spatial barrier by now. What time is it? I finally see a battered alarm clock, its hands glowing dimly in the moonlight. The door opens to reveal Ichigo Kurosaki. This is his room then, and these are his sheets I am bleeding on. I know he will ask questions, and I will try not to answer, but, I should have known better. He knows that the Onmitsukido is looking for me. He must have talked to Soifon or her lieutenant at some point.

I can feel the fever starting to creep up on me. The strange seeping coldness emanating from my belly is distracting and annoying. I am drained, both mentally and spiritually. Perhaps that is why I told Ichigo that I wasn't going to tell him; that the Ouin wasn't any of his business. Then, on the next breath, told him about it. Telling him I was going to retrieve it. Or I could have spoken my thoughts out loud; my brain isn't functioning well at this point. After all, I must have said 'Kusaka' at some point, because he knows the name.

A white flash of pain reminded me that I was still hurt, and the stain that was slowly turning my obi to a red rust colour told me I was still bleeding.

The wound won't stop bleeding.

Maybe I should ask him to summon Orihime now… No. They are innocent human children. This isn't their fight. They shouldn't be caught in this mess. This is not anyone's fight but mine.

He leaves…finally and I try to sleep.

Another wave of agony assaulted me in the darkened room. Spots floated across my eyes as I made sure that my ironclad reiatsu cloak was still on. It was. They cannot know that I am here. Ichigo and his friends need to stay out of it.

I should sleep, but I cannot. I was exhausted beyond belief. I closed my eyes and tried to visualize a happy, soft place that reminded me of sleep. Ok, my tattered, smells like Rangiku's perfume and sake office couch. Not the best visualization, but it was my home. Remembering Granny's herb garden reminded me of… Regardless, it wasn't working. I heard that humans counted sheep to try to help overcome insomnia. I never had problems sleeping. In fact, I was famous for taking afternoon naps.

I will not get into Rangiku's excuse on why I did take naps.

However, my mind was racing. Between the events of today and planning my next move, I couldn't relax enough. And the pain wasn't helping. I had to leave tomorrow, early, while the house was asleep and…

Voices. They were coming from downstairs, muted but clear.

"Hey why are you up?"

"I had a nightmare. Just getting a glass of milk to settle things."

Oh…my…

KARIN.

I forgot! I forgot she was Kurosaki's sister! Damn! I felt her spiritual pressure, barely. She was far more adept than her older brother on controlling it. That's why I was surprised that she saw me a few weeks ago. When we played soccer together. When she tried to kill a Hollow with a ball.

Karin.

I recheck my reiatsu shield, it was leaking a little. It couldn't be helped. Fatigue was cracking my otherwise perfect control. Still, with Ichigo's broadcasting of his spiritual pressure, it would be extremely hard to find mine. Unless you were nearby…

And you knew me.

"So Ichigo," her voice spoke, cutting through my thoughts. "Why are you sleeping on the couch?"

"Uh… There's a movie I want to see on TV. It's on late." Sounds of a television being turned on could be heard below the voice.

"What movie, pray tell?"

Karin. She's a smart girl, too smart. She knows something is up.

I have to leave now. When she gets upstairs she will know I am here. But I found that I could not sit up, and when I tried, it felt like a thousand frozen knives punctured my gut. I muffled a groan and closed my eyes to call on my resolve to work through the pain.

In the mist of my terror that yet another Kurosaki found me, saw me in this state, and with the pain riding in my body, I must have blacked out for a bit. For the next sound I heard was the clicking of the bedroom door being opened and the diffused light from the hallway. Silhouetted in the light and gasping in surprise, was Karin.

"Tou…Toushirou?" She softy whispered.

"Yes." She saw me, why lie now? She must have heard something in that one word I uttered or something on my face, for expression went from surprise to concern.

She took two steps in and slowly closed the door behind her with near inaudible click. "Toushirou, what's wrong?"

In that moment, I nearly told her everything. My normal icy self control was eroded by the pain and the pressure of my recent choices. I was so tired of this. My soul, body, and mind were so weak. I wish I had an outlet, a battle, paperwork, anything to relieve the stress.

A friend.

Was she a friend, I wondered? I met with her only a couple of times before the recall order. We ate ice cream together and we played soccer. She was a pleasant companion who knew when not to talk and just watch the sunset.

No, not a friend. Dangerous to be a friend to a human. To inflict her to my world, even a little bit, could kill her. But if she was a Shinigami…

"Toushirou?" A hand touched my shoulder and gently shook it.

I belatedly refocused my blurred vision on her. "Sorry about that. I'm just tired."

Her hand moved from my shoulder to my forehead. Odd. Normally people are warm to the touch. Her hand was cool, soothing. Like Hyorinmaru's voice against my soul…

Her mouth turned down into a frown, and a pensive look covered her face. "Look. You are more than tired. You are running a fever. Let me get some aspirin. We do have an attached clinic you know and I have more than the average elementary school knowledge of medicine. You guys can have aspirin, right?"

Before I could answer, she pulled back the blanket and saw the drying blood. Now alarm was the new expression she wore. "Toushirou!" She exclaimed in a whisper. "You are hurt! Let me get some bandages and…"

She turned to leave but I reached out and grabbed her arm. "Don't please…" My voice cracked on the final syllable.

She turned back. "But why?" Her concern for me etched on her face, her reiatsu wrapping me, like a cocoon. A warm friendly cocoon I wanted to curl up in to forever.

But I shook it off and concentrated on stopping her. "Look, you can't help me. You will get hurt if you try to help me. Trust me on this. I really shouldn't be here but your brother brought me here. I need to leave…"

"Why? What?"

I sighed. I had to remind myself that this wasn't Ichigo. Karin is smarter than her brother. And hopefully wiser. But she is just as stubborn as her older sibling. I know she will try to follow, like her brother. I desperately searched my fading mind for something, anything that could persuade her just to return to bed and forget I was here.

"Please Karin," My voice came out as a low painful moan. "Just go to bed, will you? A little rest and I will be better in the morning." My mind was shutting down. All I could come up with is the same excuse I told her brother.

She looked at me for a long moment, her face going through a variety of emotions. She looked at me intently, probably searching for any clues that I was lying in my body language. I hoped I wasn't showing. "Well…ok. If you don't accept my moronic brother's help in the morning, I swear I'll stuff my soccer ball down your throat."

I released her and nodded. "Thank you," was my simple reply.

A faint smile appeared on her face, returning to my side and tucking me in. "Ok. Now get some sleep, Toshiro. 'Night."

I was out before she left the room.

XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX

Damnit!

Thrice bad luck. Why is my karma cashing in? First Kurosaki follows me, demanding I return to his house. Then those two strange Arracars show up demanding that he turn me over to them.

Odd. I watch them attack Kurosaki in the early dawn and I cannot wonder why this scheme? I want to go with them. All they had to do is ask. But they attack the human boy, hit him hard enough to drop to the ground and take off, leaving a faint but obvious trail after them.

Still, I cannot stand around and wonder. After a quick scan of Ichigo's reiryoku told me the boy was slipping into unconscious and would be fine, I followed the girls. Well attempted. I had enough energy to flash step to an alley about a block away. As I leaned against the building, heaving like I ran on foot across the Seireitei, who does appear but yet another Kurosaki.

What is up with these Kurosakis and their stubbornness? And their luck. I wish I had their luck. But there she was, dressed warmly for the autumn with a backpack on one shoulder and a tote and a net bag with three soccer balls on the other.

Karin.

"Morning Toushirou!" She happily greeted me, though her eyes said otherwise. "Out for a morning stroll? Or chasing those two weird hollow girls. Who, by the way, are really strong and probably hand your ass to you in your current condition. Or just finding it amusing to leave my brother face down in the middle of an empty lot so you can go slinking off to die in a darkened alleyway?"

"Go home Karin."

"Or what? You gunna swing your sword at me? Or do that funny running in air thing-ee? I was so impressed with the one you just did. I bet my Beckam jersey that you are not going to attempt that again."

Damn! I growled, frustrated and frankly unsure what to do. Oh no, I couldn't be a proper captain and report my findings. No, I had do go off on some half brained quest based on feelings and pride. Which, I may add, will probably end with my execution. Unohana said that the transition between adolescence and adulthood is fraught with stupid choices and clumsy, idiotic, and irrational behavior.

And here I was happy for maybe finally getting some height.

Well, my silence was an aquiesance because Karin crowed, "I was RIGHT! HA! And I bet you cannot even out run me!"

"Idiot! You saw those Arracar? They are planning something by leading me away from here, most likely a trap. They are destroying anyone who bothers to help on the way." I was shouting, my spiritual pressure spiking. She needs to ignore her genetics for once and listen to me. "They will KILL you. IF you follow me, and you pointed out I am in no condition to save you now…"

She looked at me, her eyes narrowing as she interrupts me. "Look, it's a risk I am willing to take. Friends help each other out, no matter what. You saved me from public humiliation in front of those middle schoolers and then saved my friends and I from that hollow, at the least I could support you." Her hand rummaged through her coat pocket and pulling out her phone.

"Besides," she added holding the phone up. "I can call for backup. Between my brother and Rukia, I bet one of them will come running to my location the minute you try to ditch me. You have no choice Toshiro! You can't run, you can't hide and I have the most annoying brother on the planet!"

I stared at her wide eyed in disbelief. "Are you insane? What part of dead did you not understand? Look. This isn't a game; this is the harsh reality that my world isn't safe. In fact, it is very dangerous. You are in no way prepared to enter it."

She straightened, looking very stubborn and resolute. "And you are not getting it! I understand! I am not afraid of death. My brother and a good friend of mine happen to be death gods. They are both very strong. But I am afraid of what could happen if I didn't get involved. And I cannot live with myself if I allow you to go without at least helping. So unless you want to knock me out, or want me to wake my brother up to kick your ass, you are stuck with me."

Damn! How did a Captain of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads get out maneuvered by an 11-year-old?


	3. Talking with the Dead

"What Best Friends are for."

A Bleach Fan Fiction.

Written by trekkiexb5.

Hitsugaya/K. Kurosaki friendship. Rated T for language.

DISCLAIMER: If Bleach was mine, "Asterisk" and "Velonica" would have full length videos in the '70's retro/new and American comic styles respectively.

XXXxxxXXXxxx

CHAPTER TWO:

CONVERSATIONS WITH THE DEAD

We walked for hours, following the faint meandering trail of reiatsu that the Arracar girls gave off. We didn't talk, nor did she complain, even though I knew she was getting tired. We stopped twice for her to step into a store for lunch and bathroom breaks. Though I did not wish to admit it, the breaks were also for me to catch my breath.

Eventually we came upon the desolate part of Karakura town, an abandoned industrial area that was probably booming during better economic times. The run down factories and stores were left forgotten to time and were slowly being reclaimed by nature. Near dusk, we ducked into one of them that seemed empty of homeless people and looked fairly safe and secure. I quickly placed a kido barrier around us, to keep us hidden even if we accidently flared our reiatsu. I also placed a ward around the building, to warn us if anybody approached.

Both spells left me dizzy and panting. Numbly, I slid down the strange concrete blocks that lined up on the factory floor. I felt the infection crawling up from my stomach wound. I was exhausted. I was frustrated. I wanted to get closer, faster to the girls. I wanted Kusaka to appear. I wanted this nightmare of my own creation to end. Mostly I wanted to blame Karin for the lack of progress, but I had to admit, without her helping me to get to this location (and using my Zanpakuto as a crutch); especially in the last hour or so, I would be unconscious in the middle of the street somewhere.

"Here, Toushirou. It's instant ramen, but it is food."

I opened my eyes to face Karin's concerned look misted by a steaming Styrofoam cup. I laid Hyorinmaru on the ground beside me, and took the large cup with both shaking hands. As I sipped and then slurped greedily at the noodles, I could feel a slow trickle of reiryoku returning to me.

"Thank you," I said after I finished.

She grinned. "No problem! I packed 2 thermoses for hot water! I figured we could get food from a store."

Good planning, I thought. "What else did you bring?" My mind finally going into crisis organizational mode. I needed to know what our assets were. And quite frankly, I was curious what an 11 year old girl would pack in an emergency.

She rustled through the bags, then just gave up and dumped the contents onto the dirty floor. Karin had two large clear locking plastic bags filled with what looked like clothes, a couple of grey-green wool blankets, a couple of towels and washcloths, various candy bars, some more of those ramen cups, a clear bag of what looked like toiletries for two, some small cases that weren't labeled, a flashlight with extra batteries, miscellaneous odds and ends that I didn't recognize and a large rectangle box with a red cross on it which she held up exclaiming, "This is my dad's; almost a surgical unit first aid kit!"

I openly gaped at her. I don't know if I should praise her for such amazing forward thinking or admonish her for going through the bother of packing.

Karin took full advantage of my bewilderment. She tugged at the rough brown cape I wearing. "Take it off, and your kimono too. Let's look at that wound."

I should have told her to go to hell, or gave her an arched eyebrow and a trademark piercing cold stares. And she was a Kurosaki. I had no energy for an argument. So, Instead, I sighed. "It's a kosode, not a kimono."

"Whatever. Just take it off."

I sat up from the cement block I was leaning against. Karin helped me removed the ragged cloak I got from the thief and my kosode. I pulled my arms out of the once white shitagi and let it fall to my waist. I shivered a little in the autumn evening air. I must be ill, for I rarely get cold. I watched her spread one of the blankets on the ground and gestured for me to lay down on it. Karin knelt beside me, opening the first aid kit, and started the process of cleaning and tending to my wound.

"So," she spoke quietly as she gently cleaned and bandaged the wound. "Are you going to explain to me what is going on or is it too difficult for a substitute Shinigami's little sister to understand?"

She was involved. I was sure that those strange Arracar knew she was with me. If I wanted allies, she would have been last on my list. Rangiku, to be honest, would be at the top. But she didn't deserved to be mixed up with me. Likewise for Ichigo Kurosaki, as annoying as he is. Though, if we were talking about going against impossible odds, Ichigo would be a safe bet.

But a simple human 11 year old girl, with seemingly minor spiritual abilities, managed to do what neither Ichigo nor Rangiku could: join me on this impossible, suicidal mission.

She is going to die.

I hissed as a sudden pain emanated from my stomach. Karin murmured an apology and continued working. At this point, telling her everything isn't going to make it worse. And she deserved that much, at least.

I explained the barebones of the events. Karin listened quietly as she neatly packed everything back in the bags.

"So…let me get this straight, this Kusaka guy had the same kind of sword you did, and this council thing-ee made you dual to the death? That's stupid!" She exclaimed as she helped me back up and I put the shitagi back on my shoulders.

"Well, I thought so too, at the time. I didn't even kill him, the Punishment Force did. I just froze him, and really not that impressive of a freezing either. It took him seconds to break out of it. I just learned Hyorinmaru's name a few days before. Kusaka broke out in moments." I leaned back as I watched her make a bed out of the blankets. She folded the towels to be used as pillows. I sighed as I continued. "Also, there can't be two identical Zanpakutos. They are unique to the user because they are part of your soul. Mine more so than others, due to it being…not normal. So one of them was false. I guess it was his."

Karin turned to look at me. "Huh? What do you mean part of your soul? I don't understand, what do you mean not a normal one? As if talking swords are normal." She huffed. "Personally, I think it is still stupid to let two kids kill each other over the name of a sword."

My temper flared. "Do you want an explanation or not?"

She stared at me, her eyes widened a little at my outburst. "That's the first normal response I got all day. Grumpy and arrogant." She grinned. "And yes, an explanation would be great, elementary student!" She patted my head to complete the effect.

I growled. I could predict the possibilities of this conversation if I reacted the way she wanted me to. None of the outcomes would be in my favour. Deep breaths Toushirou, she's pushing your buttons on purpose. "Look, I'll use small words so you can understand. Shinigami **swords** aka Zanpakutos, are a visual representation of a person's inner world, his soul. It manifests when that person communicates with that inner world, and becomes visible and a true Zanpakuto when he learns the name of his Zanpakuto. Everyone's is unique. Some may have similar abilities, like Rukia's and mine are both water/ice Zanpakutos but they are very different in how the abilities are manifested.

"Mine, however…how can I say this?" I thought a moment, trying to put the explanation in terms Karin could understand easily. "Well, there are other beings, not really gods, per se, but more like Kami, for the lack of a better word, that sometimes find a human companion that they feel are worthy and join with them. They are called Heavenly Guardians and there are 13 known Guardians." I stopped due to a fit of coughing. Karin smiled and handed me a bottle of water and two small pills.

"What are those?" I asked after a swallowed some of the cool liquid.

"Acetaminophen"

"Huh? Ack cee…what? Is it some kind of herbal medicine?"

"Sorta yeah, it doesn't thin the blood and reduces fevers. Just take them and lay down."

I nodded, taking the two small white objects from her and chased them down my throat with the rest of the water. My short reprieve from the pain and fever would probably end soon. Some sleep would do me good. Maybe I could figure out how to convince Karin to return in the morning. Maybe she will be okay going home. They didn't attack her like they attacked Ichigo. She continued to pack the last items as I laid down on my side on the makeshift futon.

After a few minutes, the flashlight turned off, and I felt her curl next to my back; covering both of us with the other blanket, the cloak and my black kosode.

"Toushirou?"

"Yeah?"

"So, uhm, your sword is one of those Guardian creatures?"

"Yeah."

"uhm…how do you know? I mean, is there a list or a test or something?"

Funny, I asked Hyorinmaru that right after the Central 46 duel. "Well there is a list, but that isn't exactly published to the general public. Mostly, the best indications that the person is marked in some way."

"Marked?"

I rolled over carefully so I didn't destroy Karin's careful bandage work. I looked at her face in the evening gloom. I focused on the reflecting light in her eyes. I reached up between us and tugged on her hair. "Yes, marked. Usually when the Heavenly Guardian chooses, the person is still in the World of the Living. And the mark is carried through subsquenent reincarnations."

"Oh," she breathed. "Your hair. Man, that must have been rough."

"I don't know. I don't remember my life. Most souls don't. Though, considering the time when I was most likely born, I'd bet having white hair as a child wasn't good."

"oh."

Silence. I heard her steady breathing. I thought that she may have had fallen asleep but she spoke up after a few minutes.

"Uhm…Toushirou? Are you still awake?"

"No."

"Funny. Uhm…I want to ask you a question. You don't have to answer if you don't want. I mean, if it is too personal or stuff."

I was tired. And I dislike this game of twenty questions. "Then ask instead giving me a speech. I will decide then if I want to answer it or not."

"Oh, ok." She was exasperatingly quiet for a several moments. "uhm…how old…I mean, can you remember how old you were when you died?"

It was personal. It was rude. I sighed. "Six. When I woke up in the Soul Society, I was the human equvilant of six."

"Oh," Another patch of silence from Karin. "Toushirou?" 

"Now what?"

I felt her move under the shared blanket and grabbed my hand. "I know it sounds stupid and contrite but I am so sorry…so, so sorry you never got a childhood. I know life isn't fair and all that, but still…" she sighed. "Look. When this is all over and you have time in your busy captain schedule, come back to town and hang out with me. Maybe…maybe for just a few hours you could be a kid."

What a silly notion. The thought of it sickened me. I worked hard to have people forget my age and size and to take me seriously. One slip into childhood, years of work would be thrown away. I would never be taken seriously, again.

Still, she said it not out of spite or greed. In fact, I have no idea why Karin would say such things. I think, no I know it was meant to be a kind gesture on her part. A chance to be a kid and have a piece of life I have probably never experienced when I was alive, but I know I never really had when I was in Junrinan. She is just a silly, stupid, yet brilliant little human girl, trying to do the best she can with what she has.

"There is little chance that I will be a captain after this," I replied, evading her suggestion. "And the both of us living through the next few days don't look good either."

"You're a glass half empty kind of guy, eh, Toushirou?" She giggled softly, a lilting noise in the darkened foreboding of our near future. "Man, what a downer! You are an idiot, Toushirou!"

"What?" I exclaimed, suddenly pissed off at her. I told the truth and I'm an idiot? "What did you just call me?"

"An IDIOT," She answered smugly, dragging out the syllables, and suddenly, she moved her face close to mine, our noses touching. I knew that the rising blush on my cheeks was not feverish in nature and I was glad for the shadows and the darkness.

"Do you know how I know everything will work out? Hmmm, Toushirou?" At this distance, I could see the gleam in her eyes, and feel her warm breath on my face. "I know it will work out because you are **you**. You are my friend, probably the closest friend I've ever had and together best friends can do anything!" She rolled over suddenly and giggled. "Stop being negative and go to sleep. Everything will work out for the best, you'll see!"

My eyes were wide. Best friend? Kusaka was my last best friend. Look how that turned out. The rest of my possible friends list was short. Rangiku fills my sister role, albeit the older drunken troublemaking type. So does Momo, though not with the drunken descriptor. Ukitake? Uncle, maybe. Otherwise, the other captains and shinigami were valued comrades. It doesn't pay to get close to anything as a shinigami. Death is our job, our future, our lover…

Still, I have to admit, I do find the thought of being her best friend… really nice.

XXXXxxxxxXXXXX

A little fluff.

The Heavenly Guardian, though mentioned, is vague. Whether or not there was more than one is also vague. It could be just a poetic descriptor. Well, not really important to the story in general, I decided to use it.

.


	4. Traveling with the Dead

"What Best Friends are for."

A Bleach Fan Fiction.

Written by trekkiexb5.

Hitsugaya/K. Kurosaki friendship. Rated T for language.

DISCLAIMER: If Bleach was mine, I wouldn't be writing this on the beach in Hawai'i. Or maybe I would…

CHAPTER THREE:

TRAVELING WITH THE DEAD

Human or Shinigami, healthy or injured, would find sleeping on a dirty cold concrete floor not that much fun. Or even comfortable, for that matter. Still, it was sleep and as the sun rose we ate lukewarm miso soup, gathered up our things and headed out into the chilly fall city.

"They moved," she said quietly. I was impressed. Her ability to sense hollows is known to me, but I think she is getting better at tracking at a distance.

"Yeah," I replied. They were further away north than they were yesterday. I almost regretted stopping for the night. But I knew I wasn't going to make it without rest. The wound was still bleeding and there was an infection noticeable when Karin checked it this morning. But there was something else, something to do with the fact it was me and the masked man was Kusaka. Regardless, it ate up my body's resources.

"Another long day of walking, eh?"

"If you don't like it, leave! I NEVER asked you to come along. In fact, I believe I told you not to come!" This exhausting was draining me and my temper, normally short, but controlled, burst out of me.

"I guess that food, sleep, and some healing helped because you are starting to sound like your old arrogant self!" she harrumphed and stomped off in the direction we needed to go. "Coming?" When she noticed I didn't follow.

"Shut up!" I shouted back, brandishing the sheathed Hyorinmaru at her. Normal? I'm not acting normal. I am sick, tired, frustrated and frankly scared. This isn't even close to normal. What does she know anyways? I have only known her for a few weeks.

She suddenly giggled, switching the net of soccer balls to the opposite shoulder. "You're funny when you are all riled up!" She waited for me to catch up and we continued our journey.

But her movement of her bundles reminded me of something. "Why did you bring the soccer balls? I don't think you are going to have time to play some games."

"I brought them for the hollows."

"Hmm?" Then I remembered her kicking the ball at the Menos Grande at the field a few weeks prior. While doing very little if any damage to the hollow, it did have power channeled into it, and strength behind it. Spiritual Power. She is a Kurosaki, after all.

She again interrupted my musings. I have been lost in thought a lot lately. "Well, I don't think I could kill those weird girls, Arracar right?" She continued after I nodded. "They are more powerful than the one from the soccer game, but if any regular hollows show up, can kill them easy! Besides, I'd rather not knowingly go somewhere dangerous without some kind of weapon, weak as it is."

I could understand that, any weapon can make…wait? Killing hollows? "Huh? You can…I mean, you have killed hollows before?"

"Yeah, with Jinta and Ururu and Don Kanonji. That's where I got the name of the monsters from, Jinta. And," She paused, looking down. "Someone had to do it when my brother was gone. Otherwise innocent ghosts and humans would die."

She was playing shinigami like it was a game? No. That wasn't it. She, like her brother have a need to protect. Jinta and Ururu, Urahara's wards, can kill hollows from what I have heard. So I can believe that. How did she meet them anyways? So many questions were popping into my head. Who was this Don guy? Another one of Ichigo's friends connecting to powers they shouldn't be? Regardless, I filed it away in the back of the mind for future reference. Maybe I would be able to do something about it later.

I grunted a reply and we continued to walk in silence. By noon, we had reached civilization, it seemed, again. Karin and I invaded a 'fast food' restaurant for the restrooms and lunch. As I stood in the lobby waiting on Karin, I perused the menu. Dear deities, the prices! Since Matsumoto's 'little' shopping spree the last time we were here I learned how much yen equaled my quarterly expense report. Thank the deities Rangiku avoided these places and opted for a traditional, yet unorthodox, Japanese fare.

Karin came back, and placed an earpiece in, not unlike what 12th Division hands out to all the World of the Living patrols, and held up her phone that was shut off. She whispered in my ear, "So it doesn't look like I am talking to myself."

Clever. Now, I can carry on a conversation in public with her without her looking stupid. She can't be related to that orange haired nitwit. Ichigo is adopted, it must be the case.

"So what do you want?" she asked. After a few minutes of deliberation, we chose our lunch, and she paid for it and carried it outside. We ducked into the blind alley behind the restaurant's dumpsters.

We ate quickly and quietly. The break, again being honest, was needed; I was leaning in Hyorinmaru heavily, and forcing Karin to walk slower than she was used to. While I was far better than I was yesterday, I was nowhere near where I ought to be. The wound wasn't healing and it was draining my reserves, but with assistance from Karin, I was keeping the status quo. The meal was appreciated. I told her so, and she blushed and mumbled something about not being a big deal.

As we picked up the rubbish and deposited it in the correct bin, I asked her about the money situation. I don't think 11 year olds have a lot of cash, and I felt guilty draining her of any coin she had. She was, after all, paying for every meal.

"Oh, I have plenty," she answered "I took some of the spare change vacation money. Dad often exchanges it with bills, cuz we broke the last jar that held the money in. So I was able to get big bills and little ones and change too."

If have no idea about spare change and vacation funds but if her dad checked it frequently… "Huh? Was that wise? Will your father be upset? Will he notice?"

"Not really. He's out of town for some seminar for doctors, and Yuzu is spending a week with a friend the next town over. Ichigo and I are the only ones home. We were told to use the fund for take out, since neither of us are especially good cooks."

"Oh."

She smiled. "Shall we continue?"

"Yeah."

We started back on our journey, feeling refreshed and a little motivated. My mind was still processing the soccer ball hollow killing from earlier. "How did you kill hollows with a ball? Soccer balls usually don't make effective weapons against them."

"Eh? That's a change of subject. I just kicked the ball."

"Just 'kicked' the ball? There has to be more to it than that."

"Yeah," She stopped walking and closed her eyes. "I see the mask of the hollow and I concentrate really hard on the thought of destroying it and then kick! Then boom!" She ended with a small hop and fist pumping in the air.

So she does channel reiatsu into the ball. Interesting. It isn't easy to 'charge' an item up with reiatsu and use it as a projectile. We used kido instead. Quincies, I have heard, have similar abilities but they generally takes time, and often do it before they go into battle, not at the moment of battle. "Does your brother know about your hollow hunting?" From what I gathered at Ichigo's house, he was oblivious to Karin's growing spiritual powers. Then again, he is oblivious to much unless it gets pounded into his skull, usually by Rukia Kuchiki.

"Heck, no! I mean, I did tell him about seeing him in Shinigami uniform and stuff but he laughed it off. Idiot!" She laughed. "I mean, I don't skip school or leave in the middle of the night like him, but if I am nearby and there isn't anyone else, then I take care of it."

I had to ask. "Are you sure that you are related by blood to Ichigo? Could you or he be adopted?"

She laughed heartily, startling people nearby. "God, sometimes I wish! If my twin Yuzu and I looked didn't a lot like our mother, I'd swear that my idiotic father adopted us and passed his stupid genes to Ichigo only!"

I smirked. "Your brother is certainly one of a kind. How does your mom put up with the insanity?" Then I realized that she didn't count her mother as one of the people in her house earlier.

Karin's smile dropped and she bowed her head. "She died when Yuzu and I was four."

You would think that the 12th Division would fully brief captains' and lieutenants' on such things. Especially when they are dealing with a spastic human shinigami with inflated and barely controlled powers. Knowledge of the family would help when Ichigo decided to take off for 'training.' I found out today she has a twin and her mom was dead. This might have been useful a few weeks ago. "Sorry…I didn't know."

"It's ok, it was along time ago." We silently started walking again. She spoke up again, barely audible over the train's rumbling across the bridge we were walking on. "Toushirou, if people die here, they go where you live?"

"Well, yes, or become a hollow or are eaten by a hollow."

She looked pensive for a moment. "Do…do you think my mom might be there?"

The human need for family units. Even shinigami, once humans ourselves, have that basic need. But I thought about her question for a moment. I needed to word it in a way that was kind enough but clear enough for her. "Well, most likely, but when you die, you don't remember your past life. There are rare, vary rare occasions that spirits have arrived with partial or full memories, but I wouldn't bet on it. But mostly you remember your name, and maybe a date, or a place or a face."

"Oh."

"Sorry to disappoint you. But really even if she did remember, trying to do something about it is useless. The Rukon districts are unbelievably large. It is almost impossible to search them. That's why it's good not to remember anything of your past life."

"Oh." I could tell she wanted to ask a dozen questions. "Uhm…Toushirou, so like when I die, I'll forget everybody and everything?"

She wasn't asking for confirmation, she was asking if she was different. If Ichigo was different. "If you came from a normal family, most likely, but everyone who have a high reiryoku has a higher chance of remembering. People who manifesting powers as a human even more so. Your brother is an exception. When he dies, and with my bad karma it will be soon, he will just be expelled from his body as a Shinigami. Well, that's what our R&D department predicts."

"Oh. Well, I'll try not to kill Ichigo then. You don't need an extra headache."

"Thanks, it's appreciated. I have enough problems with a lazy lieutenant." Her statement was in jest but she was still frowning. Being a Death God, myself, the topic of death isn't a sensitive subject, but I can understand how humans could be touchy. I wasn't sure what to say, or even to say anything at all.

After a few moments, I had an idea. It would appeal to the violent Kurosaki bloodline. And it may help her when I finally confront those Arracar…and Kusaka. "I could tell you how to channel your reiatsu better into the ball." Telling her not to fight hollows would be an exercise in futility. As for breaking the rules, Kurosaki's tend to be the exception to the rules and two; at this point, does it really matter if I broke a few more?

She looked up, her eyes filled with excitement. "Really? You'd do that for me, Toushirou?"

"Yes, telling you to stop is not going to work. At least you can be more effective with it and maybe be a lot safer. I'll even tell you how to put up a shield, like what I did last night." It wouldn't be much and it would be all theory, but if it gives her a chance, however small, to survive this, it would be worth it.

So the conversation turned to kido theory. Not my best subject at the academy, but better than hakuda. I was too small to be effective with that; outside using my size to my advantage. She asked intelligent questions. She comprehended me but paraphrased it so it would be easier to remember. She recited the chants pretty much correctly after a few tries.

Why couldn't Rukia Kuchiki find her first? She was a joy to instruct. If she was in my division, or even in one of my academy seminars, I could spend hours just teaching her. Regardless, the subject kept her animated and had me forget for a little while, my problems and my pain. It was an amiable talk. And I realized, for the first time in a very long time, I was enjoying conversing with another person.

It was nice.

And with my Karma, it wasn't going to last long.

I was right. In the middle of an explanation on Bakudo techniques, the spiritual pressure from the Arracar girls disappeared.

We both stopped, eyes widening. "They're gone," we chorused. I stared, my face most definitely showing shock for a moment. What am I going to do now? More importantly, why did they leave?

"What now?" echoing my thoughts, Karin startled me out of my mental panic. "Should we stop for the day? It would give you some time to rest."

Again, and yes, I believe it deserves repeating; she cannot be related to Ichigo.

"That's an excellent idea. There is no point moving in any direction until we know where they will be."

She grinned, face flushed. Belatedly, I realized I complimented her.

"Do you know this area well?" I asked her. Best not dwell on compliments.

"Not really, but I do know of a shrine nearby. It's only open in the spring. I went to the festival there a few years back."

"But it is fall…wait! It's closed now right?" My brain finally slid out of panic mode and back into logic mode.

Karin giggled. "There's a captain using his head!"

I was being mocked, but I found I wasn't upset about it. "Be quiet, you." I smirked.

She returned my comment with a grin that would have lit up the night sky.

It took us an hour to reach it, threading through now farmland and residential homes. It was generally in the same direction we were going, and it sat on top of a conical hill, covered in vegetation. Again, one last stop for food and such. Then we snuck into the shrine. Rather Karin did. I was invisible to everyone.

Not that it was guarded or such. But Karin told me vandalism in recent years has had the priests erecting barricades during the off times for the shrines that are unmanned.

Out of the eyes of the humans, I risked a short shunpoed jump over the fence with her on my back. A bit painful, but not too bad. We made our way up to the shrine, which consisted of a flat open area around a small wooden building. A traditional arch was at the end of the stairs that lead up to the shrine. Artifacts, statues, and such, if the shrine had any, were not present in the little building. But it was filled with various paraphania and trashed with disuse.

Regardless, we set up camp and dug into a bunch of bento boxes (not really that tasty, but edible.) She peppered kido questions between bites. I showed the ward spell and the shield spell, going a little slower than normal so she could she how it was done. I also explained why I was using these particular spells.

Again, I found it amazing and quite enjoyable. The topic soon switched to soccer, school, and her home life, and I found myself chuckling and smiling at her imitations of Ichigo and her father and their daily antics.

I think even with Momo, especially lately, conversations haven't been that enjoyable. Not that is fair, but lately it's been 'Aizen this' and 'Aizen that' and none of the silly childish conversations that I used to pretend I was upset with.

Damn that man.

And with that thought, my karma kicked in. In the distance, I had felt Ichigo and his human friends wandering about. Not surprising but despite them getting closer, I wasn't worried about them. Moreover, Ichigo was like a loud noise drowning out the conversations next to you in a room. The Quincy boy could pinpoint me if he was near, which he wasn't.

No, a new source of spiritual pressure appeared. It was a Senkaimon gate opening and the numerous reiatsu raining down on the World of the Living. After checking my shield and ward, I concentrated. They were a lot further away than Ichigo, but I would bet they would find me first. And yes, I would also bet they were here to hunt me. A few bright flares indicated probably a lieutenant or higher, maybe more than one, were in the group.

"What's wrong Toushirou? This isn't good, is it?" Karin's worried face swarmed into view when I opened my eyes.

"You feel them? Good. We may have visitors soon. Be prepared to move out fast."

She gulped and nodded. She quickly cleaned up and repacked. "How soon?" she asked.

I shook my head. "Could be in an hour or in two days. It depends on how good the leader of the group is at sensing cloaked reiatsu."

"Oh. Are they from where you live?"

"The Soul Society? Yeah."

"Then, you will know them?"

"Most likely."

She pulled the blankets out and offered a space. "No," I said. "I will sleep sitting up. I need to be on my guard."

She nodded her face serious. I took up position near the door. She pulled the blankets near me and after crawling into her makeshift bed, she rested her forehead on the side of my hip.

I started to drift, when she spoke. "Toushirou, will you kill them?"

I sighed. "I don't know. I will try not to though."

Her hand shot up suddenly grabbing my elbow. "Whatever happens, I trust you."

All I could think was Momo. Her trust of Captain Aizen. Her worshipfulness of him to the point she could not see the truth. "Blind trust is dangerous, Karin. You should always have some logic behind every emotional action," I am not much better, charging into a fight with Aizen and nearly dying. "And, Karin, never govern your choices because you lo-like a person. You can never know a person completely."

Stupid Momo! Never have I been rendered so useless by anyone like I have when she pleaded to 'please save Captain Aizen.'

"Uhmm," she murmured, sleep in her voice. "I know. But I truly believe you are worth helping, even though I think you shouldn't have done what you did. It was pretty dumb to seek this fight. I think you know it too, Toushirou. But I think it is more important to be there to catch a friend than to rest on one's logic and watch them stumble at a distance." She yawned. "Sorry if that didn't make any sense."

I kind of understood what that bit of a ramble was about. "Go to sleep Karin," I smiled, grabbing her hand. "And Karin?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

And I realized, really realized the reason I did not chase her away. It was because I **wanted** her with me. As stupid, childish, and greedy as it sounds, but it was the truth. Somehow this child knew me and understood me, or at least she tried. How did she accomplished that. I would probably never know. If we make it out of this mess I created, I would have a nice talk with Hyorinmaru on the subject that I did not truly appreciate or even understand: friendship. For I wanted to keep this friendship with a child though physically near my age but so, so young. I wanted this. For the first time in my life, I wanted to activately seek such companionship.

As I started to doze, I vowed I would make sure she survived this. And If I did with any remains of honor left, I would try to be a friend, the best friend I could be.


	5. Shrine Fight

A Bleach Fan Fiction.

Written by trekkiexb5.

Hitsugaya/K. Kurosaki friendship. Rated T for language.

DISCLAIMER: If Bleach was mine, I would own every Bleach toy ever created. As it is, I have Kiske, Ichigo and Renji. I need a Toushirou toy.

**Zanpakuto voices**

CHAPTER FOUR:

SHRINE FIGHT

In the gloom of the early evening, they came.

"Karin!" I hissed, shaking her shoulder. "Get up! We are going to be attacked. Pack up and it is imperative that you stay in this building."

She nodded, eyes wide. Grabbing Hyorinmaru, I peeked out between the wooden slats to see the Onmitsukido members shunpo'ing in, along with various squad members. Squad 3 Lieutenant Izuru Kira and Squad 9 Lieutenant Shuhei Hisagi. Great; two lieutenants that have something to prove. Damn! This could be a nasty fight.

I concentrated on my inner world for a moment. _Hyorinmaru, I may need your strength._ I realized I have not spoken to him in days.

**Of course. The child should not be harmed. She is special to you.** The old dragon rumbled. Glad he was paying attention to me when I wasn't. **I am your soul. I know you well enough if you wanted my counsel, you would have asked. **I gave him a silent thank you.

"Captain Hitsugaya," Hisagi shouted, disrupting my talk to my Zanpakuto. "This is an executive order: you must return to the Soul Society immediately!"

I looked at Karin one last time. "Remember. Stay here! No matter what happens, don't get involved!" She again nodded silently and ducked down behind some boxes.

With a deep breath, I opened the door. Mentally, I dug deep into my flagging reserves and stepped through the threshold and onto the porch.

I gave them my answer. "I have no intention of doing that!" With that statement, I drew my Zanpakuto and attacked Hisagi. I was fast enough to catch him mid-draw. Kira, as expected, attacked my Zanpakuto and pinned my blade against Hisagi. Standard maneuver, though by their expressions, they did not expect me to attack. A captain on the run and cornered, what did they expect?

Or was it the fact that I wasn't surprised by their maneuver. Zanjutsu is my best skill of the four, and while having less experience than both of them, I am very good at reading battle trends to form strategies. I knew their fighting styles and I knew how they were trained. In a normal swordfight, even two against one, I would win. With Zanpakutos, I would most decidingly win. I am a captain, after all.

"Don't do this," Kira implored. "You'll be accused of treason."

A little late for that, Kira. "Back off Izuru, you too Hisagi!"

"Sorry, but I have been given orders to take you into custody." Hisagi, always following orders. You would think that they would have learned about blind trust, blind loyalty. Still, I could not blame them. They have the best interests of the Soul Society and the Seireitei in mind.

Time to change tactics. Something that they would not expect. "Then you will die." I spat out. I easily broke out of their pincer of blades and traded blows with both.

Regardless that I knew I was faster, better, and stronger than them, I needed to end this battle quickly. My stamina has been heavily eroded and I will not last long. Also, I do not want to give them time to release Shikai, especially Kira's Wabisuke.

I flung Hisagi with a concentrated blast of reiatsu with my block and parry. I turned to concentrate on Kira and the other fools who thought they could challenge me.

"Bakudo 62! Hyapporankan!" Hisagi bellowed from on top of the orange coloured arch. Damn! A binding spell! While non lethal, the binding posts would adhere to anything made up with rierkoyu. Like me.

And Hisagi isn't a slouch in the kido department, either. I could not escape the three way fight with Kira and an idiot no seat quick enough. I tried to retreat back to the porch, but two caught my cloak and one pierced my shoulder.

I was pinned. I have to hurry. Pull them out and go straight to bankai. Ignore the pain. Thankfully, while they have marvelous adhesion properties, we were not in the Soul Society and the spell did not stick to the ground very well. So, though painful, I could pull them out.

Damn! They may not be offensive, they are sure are painful. It was horrid! I nearly blacked out. I can hear Kira and the squad members approaching…not going to make it…

"LEAVE HIM ALONE, YOU BASTARDS!"

My watering eyes widened as Karin stepped out, dropped a reiatsu-filled soccer ball to the ground and kicked it straight into Kira's stomach. It sent the man back a couple of yards, clutching his belly.

"KARIN!" I screamed as I finally pulled the last post out and stood up. "GET BACK NOW!" Not even checking if she obeyed me, I unlocked my stored energy and shouted. " Reign over the Frosted Heavens, Hyorinmaru! Bankai!"

I directed all my spiritual energy forward as the icy draconic form was quickly created around me. My wings protecting Karin and the Shrine building, I sent Hyorinmaru towards the Shinigami. A coating of snow then ice. The element of surprise was in my favour and I subdued them all in one stroke.

"Karin! Grab the stuff and let's go!" I could feel Ichigo and the other humans moving in this direction. The adrenalin rush was wearing off; my bankai would not last much longer. I decided to use the remainder to put some distance between the shinigami, Ichigo's group and us.

"Way ahead of you!" She yelled as she approached me. Not taking the time to explain what was going on, I grabbed her with one arm and flew off.

I flew north as far as I could; finally landing a few minutes later on a multi-storied building in a middle of yet another abandoned industrial park. I quickly shattered my now crumbling bankai. I felt the weather change quickly. That little stunt at the shrine, even at 20% of my power, caused a localized rainstorm.

The rain started to pour as Karin jumped from my arms and ran to the roof door. She pulled on it futilely. "We need to get under cover, now, Toushirou!" She screamed, knocking me out of my daze.

I ran across the roof to her, and with the last ounce of strength, I pulled the heavy metal door open. She grabbed me by my cloak and pulled me in, slamming the door against the now driving rain. "Are you gunna do that shield kido or is it not worth it?" She asked, her hair dripping.

Again, prompting from her. I did the incantations quickly and slammed a shield on my spiritual pressure, though I was too weak to omit much. The efforts drained me of what little energy I had. I collapsed, shaking.

"Toushirou!" Karin gasped, running over to me. She touched my face. "My god, you are burning up!"

"I…I…am…oh…oh…okay, Karin." I shivered, my chattering teeth causing me to stutter. "W…we need to find someplace that is defensible."

She nodded, anxiety written on her face. She helped me up; I leaned on her and, my now sheathed, Zanpakuto as we worked our way slowly down the metal stairs.

We eventually found what was an office. It had a small window, dusty carpet, a metal desk, and filing cabinets. It even had its own bathroom. The building must have been abandoned recently, for the power was still functional.

She dumped her bags out quickly, grabbing one of the bags of clothes. "Put these on. They were Ichigo's when he was in middle school but, they are clean and dry." She picked up her flashlight. "I'm gunna look around a bit."

I numbly nodded. Dry clothes sounded really good right now. She shut the door behind her and left me alone. I quickly shredded my uniform and cloak, throwing them on the desk with an audible wet slap. Everything was huge, the boxers and sweatshirt hung to my knees and the sweatpants had to be folded in at the waist, lest they slip off.

After dressing, I pulled one of the blankets from the pile. With Hyorinmaru in hand, I went to the far corner and curled into a small shivering ball and promptly fell asleep.

"Toushirou…"

"Toushirou, wake up."

"WAKE UP!"

I shot up, grabbing the hilt of Hyorinmaru. I blearily looked into the face of a concerned Karin.

"I know you should sleep, but you need to eat and I want to change those bandages. I found a coffee maker, so we can have some hot food."

"Do you need help up?" She asked. I nodded slowly. She stood and held out her hand. Between the wall, my Zanpakuto and Karin, I managed to get up and sit at one of two wheeled desk chairs.

Karin must have found candles, for the desk held several votives, the flowery scent trying to compete with the musty scent of the room. She gestured grandly at the desk. "It is a gourmet feast of epic proportions! We have several flavours of ramen, cold bentos, hot instant tea, juice, water and some fruit! We even have six kinds of candy bars for dessert! Dig in!" She finished with a flourish.

Honestly, I could eat it all, and told her such. She laughed and filled the ramen cup I chose with hot water from a cracked glass coffee pot.

The food tasted like cardboard, but it was the best thing in the world right now. She sat across from me and attacked the shrimp ramen. We ate in silence. I managed to eat three ramen bowls, all the bento boxes and one candy bar as well as gulping down some tea and two bottles of juice. The food cleared the fuzz out of my head. "Where are my clothes?" I managed to ask between inhaling gulps of cold rice.

"Hanging in the next room. It stopped raining shortly after I left you. The wind is blowing something fierce. So I opened the window and hung them on an easel. Hopefully, they will be dry in the morning."

"Thank you."

"Hey no problem. Though I was confused about the loincloth. Has the Soul Society heard of boxers? I mean, I understand traditional garb, but even when I wear a kimono, I have bike shorts underneath."

I blushed. The idea of Karin handling my undergarments and then talking about them so blatantly was very embarrassing. Was there no dignity left in this world?

"Toushirou?" I looked up from my head bowing blush to a worried Karin. "Do you think they followed us?"

I closed my eyes and searched out. "No. They are leaving. I do not believe I killed anyone but I did hurt them," I answered, sighing. The 4th Division will have a lot of major frostbite cases on their hands, and maybe some broken bones and concussions. "They will not make the same mistake again. They will send captains after me next, and they will not ask me to surrender." Come on Kusaka! Show up and end this charade. I am running out of time.

"Oh, so they are tough, right?"

"Don't be stupid. I'm a captain! We were very lucky they sent two overzealous lieutenants this round. Next round would probably be Zaraki or Kuchiki. Both could kill me easily, especially in this condition." And they would probably be operating under execution orders. I decided not to tell her that.

Karin took a few more sips of her water. She sat it down, tucking her ebony hair behind her ears and wearing an expression I could not read. "I am glad you didn't get hurt or that you didn't kill anyone."

"So am I."

She suddenly grinned. "Your ice dragon was so cool! I mean figuratively, too! How could those guys stand a chance against that? I mean I took the one out with my soccer ball! That was so sweet! Your tricks about spiritual pressure worked and…"

"That was stupid!" I growled, suddenly angry. "That was very dangerous! They could…have… Oh no." A sudden sick realization hit me.

"What's wrong Toushirou?"

I stared at her concerned face. "I said your name. They KNOW your name, Karin!"

"So?" She didn't understand the implications.

I quickly reached across the desk for her hand. Candlelight flickered on her startled expression. _She has violet eyes_, a random thought flickered in my mind. _And I may be responsible for those eyes dimming forever._

"Toushirou?" She was confused.

I mentally shook my head. "Karin. The Gotei 13 now knows that there is a human with me. They have a description and a name." Fear was adding a quiver to each word I spoke. "Rukia is probably in contact with her squadron. She KNOWS you. And she…Ichigo…"

Her eyes widened as the shock of realization crossed her features. "Ichigo is gunna be so pissed."

"And your brother is as strong as most captains."

Damn!

XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX

On the subject of Bakudo 62: I used the wiki to look it up and it really doesn't have a descriptor for the spell, outside it's a binding, rather than an offensive spell. I made my own rules up that it adheres to spirit particles.

Toushirou's bankai at the shrine. He never said bankai. So I slid it in where I thought it would work.

The Shrine fight in the movie was probably the best in the movie. It was drawn beautifully and executed gorgeously. I think this was the scene that sold the movie for me. I hope you enjoyed my version of it.


	6. Sojiro Kusaka

A Bleach Fan Fiction.

Written by trekkiexb5.

Hitsugaya/K. Kurosaki friendship. Rated T for language.

DISCLAIMER: If Bleach was mine, the musicals would be on Broadway.

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

This story is completed on paper. I will get the chapters out as soon as I can and my Beta can get them done. Maybe a week between chapters.

_flashback_

**Zanpakuto voices**

CHAPTER FIVE:

SOJURO KUSAKA

"_Toushirou!" Kusaka's screams echoed in the cavernous room. "I'm the rightful owner of Hyorinmaru!_

"_Why are you interrupting?"_

"_Give me another chance!"_

"_TOUSHIROU!"_

"Toushirou!"

I woke up with a start, sitting up and scrambling for my Zanpakuto. Well, I tried, but was interrupted by a white hot pain across my belly. I let out an agonizing groan and clutched my stomach.

"Toushirou?" Karin's voice floated over the pain. I blinked, vainly clearing the spots from my vision.

"Sorry," I mumbled, the room finally came into focus. Karin was kneeling next to me, her ebony hair only half covering the worry decorating her face. "I sat up too fast. It's okay." Not really okay, but she cannot do anything about it.

She pursed her lips, but nodded. "I let you sleep in. You really needed it. I got up a few hours ago, and while I was getting cleaned up, those two weird girls showed up…"

"WHAT? WHEN?" I shouted. Damn!

"It's to the south," she replied.

"Damn!" I swore, smacking my head. We just came from the south. They were far south, too.

"Look, there's some hot water." I opened my eyes and looked up at her. "I found a bucket, and I cleaned it out. Only a few faucets in the building work. I warmed up some hot water and put it and your mostly dry clothes in the bathroom. There is no reason to chase after them now. They are too far away. Might as well get cleaned up and eat."

She was right, they were too far away. I don't know why they went back south, but I did know they were trying to lead me somewhere, hopefully to Kusaka. It didn't make sense that they would backtrack suddenly.

She stood up and held out her hand. I took it gratefully and after she handed me Hyorinmaru, I stumbled into the bathroom. Stripping the human clothes off, I used the soap and hand towel from the toiletries kit Karin so thoughtfully left in here and wearily washed myself off.

As I toweled dry, I took a long hard look at my self in the mirror. I looked terrible. Black circles around my eyes, multiple bruises and abrasions, and under a swath of bandages that were slowly turning red, the wound. A wound I knew, despite all of Karin's care, was festering.

I sighed. I chose this path. I have to walk it to its end. I quickly got dressed in my uniform, complete with the undergarments, and toed my tabi on. I walked out with the clothes from yesterday and the bag of toiletries.

I thanked Karin, and sat down for our meager meal. We were silent, lost in our own thoughts. There wasn't much to do; we were in a holding pattern until…

"My brother…" Karin murmured.

"Yes, and Rukia Kuchiki."

"Are they fighting those girls?"

"I believe so, feel how their reiatsu fluctuates? That's a strong indicator of a battle."

We sat for a minute or two, staring into space as we concentrated on the distance battle. Then… My eyes widened at a sudden burst of spiritual pressure, uncomfortably familiar spiritual pressure…so much more powerful than before… "Kusaka."

Karin stared at me, eyes widening. She stood up, gave me a determined nod, and said, "I'll start packing."

So Kusaka showed himself. He is preparing to move soon, very soon. Suddenly, Kusaka's spiritual pressure skyrocketed, and Ichigo's dropped to almost undetectable.

Karin stopped, mid-fold. "Ichigo!" Her face was horrified at the thought of her brother possibly being dead.

"He's still alive," I said. She whirled to face me. "He's very tough. I can still feel him. Most likely he's unconscious. Don't worry; he'll make it out alive."

She nodded and continued to pack, her face now tense with worry. Less than a minute later, Kusaka's reiatsu appeared close by, very close by.

"It's time," I said. She nodded in response.

I debated for the last time whether Karin should come with me. I doubted she would leave me now, and frankly, I did not want her to leave. I was putting her in danger, but those Arracar girls, still fighting with Rukia, might use her or even kill her if I wasn't near Karin. They haven't hurt her yet, so I suspect Kusaka wants me to bring her with me. Probably for blackmail purposes. Regardless, I was relieved that this would be over soon, one way or another.

"And Karin?"

"Yeah?" 

"Could you…" I sighed slightly embarrassed. "Would you help me get my waraji…err sandals on?" I just couldn't bend over anymore.

She gave me a soft smile. "Okay."

XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX

We soon carefully worked our way down the office building. We passed through the trashed and graffiti foyer, and ventured outside. Kusaka was in the adjoining building, a big boxlike structure with a collapsing glass roof. It was dark and ugly.

I didn't understand it. He appeared in the building next door, why? I suspect he knew where we were the whole time. My tracking of the Arracar females was mostly a feint; I was trying to avoiding shinigami patrols. They disappeared and reappeared too much to be an exact guide.

He must know Karin was with me. I do not know if he would use her as a possible hostage or just to twist the knife, so to speak, but the minute she started walking with me, she was doomed. Sending her away, would not make a difference.

What was he thinking? Why was he alive? What's his plan? If he was the friend I knew long ago, I think he would not have gone through all this. His behaviour so far, has been tainted with seemingly evil intentions. Revenge is possible, considering Central 46 had him executed. Was it jealously? I did, after all, make captain, breaking records as I did at the academy. Did he covet that? Or did he just go mad? Any or all of these could be the truth. I had so many questions.

Time to get some answers.

We entered the building; the tarnished sign on the unhinged door reading that this was a warehouse at one point. We needed to go down. We found the staircase. As the heavy metal door squealed on its hinges, we could barely make out a vast cavernous room with large concrete pillars that stretched down into the darkness.

"Wow," Karin gasped. "That is deep."

I leaned against the wall, searching my pocket for the sash that normally held Hyorinmaru and the sunburst brooch that Captain Issin gave me as a reward for earning my first seated position in the squad.

So long ago.

As Karin watched, I pulled Hyorinmaru from its scabbard, which vanished, and tied the sword to my hand. I placed the brooch on the back of my palm.

"Why?" She asked as we started our journey into the abyss.

"So I won't drop my sword if I parry and the opponent's swing is too hard."

"Oh, that's pretty smart, Toushirou."

I grunted, and concentrated on the rickety metal staircase. "Look," I said after a few flights, "Whatever happens, stay behind me. This is probably going to get very dangerous." She nodded, a serious look covering her features.

How deep was this warehouse? And why would anyone need something this big? For what? After fifteen flights of stairs we finally came to the bottom. Light was dimly piercing the pillared room, probably from the broken roof above. The sound of water dripping, most likely from my little weather malfunction last night, could be heard.

The room was impossibly large. Echoes of footsteps bounced around the darkness. The massive pillars created pockets of total shadow. I heard Karin whisper, "Dwarrowdelf." Not sure what that means or if it is some kind of modern slang. We walked further into the room, knowing he was here, somewhere.

"It took you a while, but you finally found me, Toushirou." I whirled to the sound of the voice. Karin, startled, quickly ducked behind me. She listened well. Out of the humid gloom walked Kusaka.

"Kusaka!" I knew it was him since the attack on the caravan, but still, hearing his voice and seeing his face surprised me.

"I wounded you with Hyorinmaru for a very good reason. I was sending a message. What better way to tell you that I was alive?"

I don't know, showing your face would have worked. Heck, a letter would have moved me into action.

His head cocked to one side. "Oh, Toushirou, you brought your little human girlfriend, how sweet! Does that shinigami girlfriend know about her yet?" His voice was mocking.

He was just trying to get a rise out of me. I ignored it and started to ask my questions. "What is this about then?"

"Well, my old partner, life has certainly led us on a strange journey, to get us to this point."

What the…? Just answer my question already. "What do you mean?"

As he turned from me, he laughed, not exactly a pleasant laugh either. "You know full well what the 13 Court Guard Squads are like. In fact, you have seen first hand the things that they are capable of. Despite that, you hung around anyways. Why did you do that?"

My reasons are my own. And I wasn't going to…

He turned to look at me, interrupting my thoughts. "Is it that innocent childhood friend of yours? Does she know you have a pathetic human little girlfriend now? Or she hasn't recovered yet?" Momo? How did he know about her being…? Suddenly I smelled Aizen's hand in this.

I decided to react the way he wanted me, too, to see if he would give up more information. Risky, especially with Karin here, but there is a war coming very soon, and any clues on what or how exactly Aizen was going to carry out his plans could save thousands. "Momo has nothing to do with it," I answered, keeping my voice even. "Now where is the Ouin?"

As he raised his hand from behind his cloak, a soft warm yellow glow emanated from it. "I'm holding it right here in my hand. Its power makes it the perfect tool to realize our dream!"

As I suddenly had visions of a sober Matsumoto happily doing all the paperwork as I propped my feet on my very empty desk, I realized my dreams needed serious work. As I mentally shook paperwork heaven out of my head, the Ouin's glow rapidly got brighter.

"Our dream?" I asked. I wanted to know what Kusaka thought our 'dream' was. I was willing to bet it didn't involve paperwork and Aizen's, Ichimaru's, and Tosen's heads on a pike on the West Gate. "How do you know about the Ouin's power? And what are you planning to do with it?"

The light and noise was getting louder. I felt Karin clutching my cloak in the back. Her reiatsu was broadcasting fear.

"Don't get so excited. You'll find out soon enough." He paused, and then added, "I'll even let your little girlfriend join the party. Now then, let's get going!"

Going? Going where? Then I have the horrible realization he was using the Ouin to open a gate. I quickly reached behind me and grabbed firmly Karin's hand. "Don't let go, no matter what!" I yelled at her over Kusaka's laugh and the noise from the Ouin. The Spiritual Pressure was intense and I tried to shield Karin as the light and power grew rapidly.

After an eternity of whiteness, the light and noise faded. As my eyes readjusted, I felt around for spiritual Pressure. There was thousands upon thousands. The taste of reishi in the air. The smells. My vision cleared. I knew exactly where we were.

"Toushirou," Karin whispered, terror seeping into her voice. "Where are we?"

"We are on Sokyoku Hill," I answered, awe in my voice. I looked at her frightened face.

"We are in the Soul Society."

XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX

Points for catching a reference to my favourite books.

About the scabbard. It disappears and reappears all the time in the series. The movie it is the same. Heck, due the fact the sword is almost the same height as him; He draws it by lifting it through the scabbard. I conclude that the scabbard is actually part of the Zanpakuto. That would make sense, if you look at Ikkaku's for example. However, I haven't fond anything for or against this. So I took artistic license and allowed Toushirou to have control over his scabbard.

Issin is mentioned by first name rather than his last. I am not sure what his last name is at this moment, but I am thinking that Kurosaki may be either a fake name for when he came to the World of the Living or his wife's maiden name.


	7. Sokyoku Hill

"What Best Friends are for."

A Bleach Fan Fiction.

Written by trekkiexb5.

Hitsugaya/K. Kurosaki friendship. Rated T for language.

DISCLAIMER: If Bleach was mine, I would make a chart of ages of everyone, in human AND Soul Society. So tired of the slide rule.

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

I use How Toushirou addresses people as away how he feels about that person. Most of the Gotei 13 and other are addressed by their last names. With Rangiku, he uses both, depending on the mood. Momo is Momo, unless in an official capacity. For Rukia and Ichigo, I spell it out for the reader by first and last name, due to the siblings. The fact he addresses Karin by her first name, and allows her to do so with him speaks to Karin's pull she has with our little captain.

CHAPTER 6:

SOKYOKU HILL

"_Toushirou," Karin whispered, terror seeping into her voice. "Where are we?"_

"_We are on Sokyoku Hill," I answered, awe in my voice. I looked at her frightened face._

"_We are in the Soul Society."_

Lightning flared from Kusaka as the dust was blown out. Sokyoku Hill. It seems lately all the important events happen here.

"Correct, we are in the Soul Society," Kusaka's voice held a flavour of bitter irony. "Welcome to the Sokyoku Hill, little human girlfriend. An appropriate place, don't you think, Toushirou?"

Damn. Execution Hill with entire Gotei 13 looking for my head. Yeah, very appropriate.

"How? How did we get here Toushirou?" Karin asked, releasing my hand and looking around in amazement. "I thought I had to be…am I…?"

"Dead? No little girlfriend," Kusaka answered her question before I could. "At least, not yet. The day is young, though. No, what you just witnessed was the power of the Ouin. Whomever masters the Ouin is empowered with the ability to transport any type of matter to other dimensions, regardless of space and time."

Wow. Why does such an powerful artifact exist, and why did the Royal Family think that one squad and the Kido corps was enough to guard it as it was being transported?

Kusaka was still talking. That strikes me as having an inflated ego. Smart despots just do it, instead of revealing their plans to their not so dead enemies. Then again, Karin would have been dead long before this if Kusaka had any type of wisdom.

His lecture continued. "With the Ouin's power, not only can I transport through space to different physical locations, but I can also move attacks to another dimension. And I can reverse any of my wounds to a time before I was injured."

Like Inoue, but on a massive scale. Gods, if Aizen got a hold of it… "I see, that's how you are still alive." I stated.

"Yes, somehow my fading soul was bathed in the light of the Ouin," He remarked. "Transporting it to Hueco Mundo and resurrecting me there."

Perhaps the Ouin was being transported on the day of the duel in Central 46.

"Ever since that faithful day, I have spent every waking moment searching for the Ouin. Now, finally I'll have my revenge on the Seireitei!"

I wanted to tell him that the ones that order us to duel were all dead, courtesy of a power-hungry Aizen. But he said Seireitei, which makes me wonder if he already knew that.

"Toushirou!" His voice broke my train of thought. "Cut the Ouin in two! I know your Bankai has the power."

Huh? "Cut the Ouin? Kusaka…why?" I really needed to know the reason, and I had still too many questions to ask.

"Because, once you cut the Ouin, everything will be purified." He laughed a rather evil maniacal laugh.

Karin tugged on my sleeve. I tore my eyes off of Kusaka to glance at her. "What does he mean purified, Toushirou?" she asked me.

I had no clue. But I was very sure it would be unpleasant for a great number of people. "Stay behind me, Karin," I whispered. "I have no idea what he will do next." 

"Okay." 

Suddenly, the inevitable happened. The first three of soon to be many shinigami flash stepped above us. Madarame, Ayasegawa, and Abarai. I nudged Karin to the side where the sixth division Lieutenant landed. He was the most reasonable of the three and probably closer to Ichigo and his family than anyone in the Soul Society, excepting Rukia Kuchiki. He would not try to hurt her.

But, I still have to deal with the Squad Eleven's dynamic duo. Damn it! I just wanted to give Kusaka the chance he never had!

"It certainly looks like we are the first ones to arrive," Madarame drooled, smirking.

"It certainly seems that way, Ikkaku," the Fifth Seat, and partner in crime replied.

"Captain Hitsugaya, what are you trying to prove?" I spared a glance to Abarai. "Why did you kidnap Ichigo's sister? I don't understand."

"He didn't kidnap me, you idiot!" Karin snapped back at him, stomping her foot in anger. Of course, this just confused the man and he opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by Madarame.

"Forget it, Renji. What difference does it make; none of that matters. An executive order from the Head Captain has been issued. Our orders are to execute Captain Hitsugaya and the Ouin thief on sight and if possible, capture the Kurosaki girl for questioning." I heard Karin gasp at the word execution.

Oh good. Karin has a chance.

"Ikkaku Madarame," Kusaka spoke slowly, like he was reciting from memory. "Your immense physical power and your expert swordsmanship make you one of the most outstanding Shinigami of the 13 Court Guard Squads."

"Flattery is nice but it isn't going to save you." Madarame grinned.

"Even so, you are no match for me!" Kusaka announced.

"Oh, yeah?"

Madarame's response was predictable.

Mine was not. I flashed stepped away from Karin, now that I knew she would be fairly safe, and blocked Madarame. Fool. With the Ouin, Kusaka could easily killed him without lifting a finger.

And besides, that fight was mine alone.

Madarame's blow was strong, and I was glad that I tied my hand to my hilt. Even so, I could not stop a gasp of pain running across my lips. I stumbled a bit, but held my ground. I knew something like this would happen. I had untapped reserves of Reiryoku within me. I had saved for this eventually.

"TOUSHIROU!" Karin screamed and took two steps towards me. Then she stopped, not sure why. Hopefully it was common sense coming into play.

Of course, the three shinigami took my actions the wrong way.

"Even with those wounds," Madarame muttered, slightly surprised. "You must wanna really save this guy."

"Captain Hitsugaya, what the hell were you thinking?" Abarai's angry shout. He still called me captain.

Still, they didn't know who or what they were dealing with and none of them had the ability to survive a fight with Kusaka. He simply didn't care about them. He had an interest in me. I had a chance.

Besides, even if I didn't survive against him, I HAD to fight him, they didn't. My responsibility, my choice. Again, I decided on an ambiguous response to keep people guessing and to keep Kusaka from destroying everything in sight. "You are in my way," I panted out.

All three dropped into stances. Now the dance began. A quick check on Karin showed her clutching her net full of soccer balls and looking very scared, but away from the fight. I marked her position and prayed she wouldn't move. I glanced back to see Madarame attacking again, this time me, I parried and pushed him back with reiatsu. I could hear Abarai and Ayasegawa go into Shikai mode. I did the same, just in time to parry the 5th Seat and sending him behind his partner.

Madarame attacked again, using his halberd-like Shikai. I could hear Abarai approaching. Unlike me, they had intent to hurt and kill. I wanted them away from here, away from danger, even if I have to kick their asses to do it, and with the 11th Division, that may be the only choice.

I jumped up on Madarame's blade, doing the infamous 'sword walk' maneuver that I rarely perform due to its difficulty. Madarame's Zanpakuto made it easy. I aimed for a kick to his head, which he dodged, flinching backwards and dragging his weapon, blade now inbedded into the ground, from underneath me. Abarai extended his whip like blade towards me, I countered with the sickle and chain on Hyorinmaru. When he retracted it, the chain remained entangled, effectually stopping Abarai and unfortunately opening me to attacks due to my now limited maneuverability. He knew this because he pulled the chain taunt to the point I had to dig my heels into the ground, in the effort not to be pulled down.

We all paused for a second; the incoming reiatsu signaled that the calvary arrived. As the shinigami of various divisions showed up, Soifon appeared and ordered "That's far enough!"

If Abarai WAS my enemy, he would been encased in ice by now. I think the two 11th Squad seats knew that. All three served under me and knew Kurosaki pretty well. Our trading of blows had been slow and deliberate. Whether if it was for a concern for Karin's safety or respect for me, I realize now they did not attack me with killing intent.

Soifon, on the other hand, could teach blind loyalty and letter of the law lessons to Captain Kuchiki. Nor would she care about Karin's safety. She probably branded her a traitor already. So I stopped and waited to see what she would do.

Komamura and Kuchiki walked with her to stand in front of Abarai, who was my current opponent, causing the lieutenant to gasp in surprise. He released his stance, relaxing, and I retracted the chain. Behind them, in the crowd, I noticed Unohana, Ukitake and Kurotsuchi. Karin, who wasn't near any of us, looked at the crowd and the captains, and then ran to me, the soccer ball net banging on her back. Should have told her to drop everything.

"Throw down your weapon, Hitsugaya!" Soifon commanded with Komamura adding to Kusaka, "You, too, whomever you are." 

I wasn't surprised, but I wish the crowd was a lot smaller or not here at all. Kusaka was unstable and would react unpredictably, I felt it. I stood there watching the crowd, wishing, hoping that Karin would be all right. Again, Soifon would not care about her and she was running the show here. Adding to that fact, the majority of the captains observing were the 'go with the flow' type or anal retentive. All typical adults. Idiots.

"Ridiculous," Kusaka bellowed out a laugh. He was going to make a move. I had to make sure that as few people as possible were hurt from his madness.

"That's enough!" Komamura barked. "You are under arrest." So the canine-headed captain didn't like execution orders either? Hmmm… Kuchiki was unusually passive and did not show up his underling.

"Toushirou, haven't you endured enough?" Here comes Kusaka's play and reasoning. I guess he needs me, that's why Karin was still alive. He didn't want to piss me off by killing my 'girlfriend.' I was right, she was going to be used as leverage and even if I chased her off the first day, their would have grabbed her anyways. I'd even bet Ichigo was their first choice. It was instinct, but I was glad I attacked him. He is better off being the wild card.

"Now is the time to teach these arrogant fools a lesson!" Kusaka's voice rose to a crescendo. "For all the hatred and all the suffering we have endured."

"The Ouin is glowing, Toushirou," Karin, who finally dropped the tote and soccer balls, whispered.

I was facing the crowd, so I whirled just as he said, "This is our revenge! Cut the Ouin! Do it Toushirou!"

"Seize them immediately!" Soifon's orders echoed. Damn! What to do? How can I keep everyone safe and do what I need to do? Think Toushirou!

"Getsuga Tensho!"

My eyes widened as the shout and the insane source of reiatsu appeared above me. Ichigo Kurosaki. With Rukia Kuchiki, of course. Karin gasped; I could feel her grip on my cloak tightened. While I wasn't sure that he knew that his sister was with me, I somehow knew he would not aim at me or any of the shinigami unless he was attacked. He is extremely predictable.

The hill shivered as the wave of energy carved the rock behind me. His actions stopped the advance.

"Stop!" he shouted. "You are so smart but the only way you can solve a problem is to fight!" I mentally directed Kurosaki's comment to Soifon. "There is not one among you that really wants to kill Toushirou, right?"

Again, for some reason, Soifon's name pops up.

"And even if it is an order, shouldn't you think twice before you draw your weapon against your friend?"

Karin whispered, "Brother."

And Soifon again reacts predictably. "Stay out of this! It doesn't involve you," The girl's name, I am sure never bothered to learn Soifon, is Karin KUROSAKI. So yeah, he does have a right to be involved. "We are under the Head Captain's orders and we are sworn to carry out the orders of our superiors, no matter what! It is our duty as Shinigami!"

For the record, this is a stunning example of blind loyalty, and she doesn't even have Momo's love struck excuse.

"And I am telling you your orders don't make any sense!" Kurosaki retorted.

"You're just wasting our time!" Soifon shouted back. "If you keep resisting us you will have to die as well!" Apparently, she forgot the Aizen incident already. While I wasn't directly involved with the Kurosaki part of the story, but I do remember being briefed that he took out several Captains and lieutenants with only a Shikai and nearly got Aizen.

Knowing Kuchiki, Komamura and the others would not pick a fight with Kurosaki due to the fact they probably agreed with him in principle, Soifon would be on her own.

As the humans would say, Kurosaki would 'own' her.

"Hold it!"

No way. No way did the Old Man came here for me. Or for the Kurosaki's. Obviously it's the Ouin. I heard the sounds of Zanpakutos being sheathed and rustling of clothing.

Lovely. Fire and ice. He is the strongest of the Captains, and I, while my power is pretty incredible, haven't matured yet. In fact, most of my power is sealed until my body can handle it. At this point, I am the weakest of the captains. Add injuries and illness to it, no chance in hell.

"It's Head Captain Shigekuni Genryusai Yamamoto!" Rukia Kuchiki breathed.

Karin, facing the shinigami, looked at awe. "Toushirou, some old guy is coming and everyone is kneeling. He must be wicked important!"

Understatement of the year.

Kusaka smirked. He had been standing here the whole time, waiting for me to cut the Ouin. The Old Man was an observer during that fateful duel 45 years ago. Just another knife that Kusaka could twist.

"Shunshei, you're back on your feet!" Ukitake's voice was soft, but audible in the silence.

"Yeah, I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I let an innocent man be executed." Kyoraku's response was hoarse with pain.

Wait. 'Innocent man?' Shunshei in pain? I rapidly postulated that Kusaka attacked him for whatever reason, probably posing as me. But not only did the Captain of Squad 8 survived, he must have saw Kusaka's face. Ichigo must have passed the name Kusaka to him. With the research-happy Ise as his lieutenant, she probably squirreled information about Kusaka out. A glimmer of hope was lit. I think this is why even Captain Straight and Narrow Kuchiki hesitated.

I heard a loud thump. "So you are still alive, Sojiro Kusaka," Yamamoto said.

"You really thought you killed me off, huh? Sorry."

A pause, before the Old Man replied. "I take, it was the Ouin that brought you back to life, and you have been resurrected and given a second chance in Hueco Mundo?" Again, there was something missing I could not figure out.

"Yes, and now I'm back to stay. The Ouin gave me life. And now that I have returned, I shall use the Ouin to take my place as the King of the Soul Society!"

"You want to be the King of the Soul Society?" The Head Captain's voice graveled its retort. "Such arrogance!"

Kusaka chuckled. "Maybe you're right, for if anyone knows about arrogance its you, old man!"

The Ouin started to glow. "Karin run!" she hesitated, but headed towards he brother. I took off. King of the Soul Society, indeed.

Over my dead body.

I jumped and attacked. Kusaka parried. But I was surprised by the amount of spiritual pressure Kusaka put into his push. It sent me halfway to Ichigo. I back flipped to land on my feet. I glanced back to see Karin getting a hug from her brother. She is safe, good.

"Captain, NO!" Matsumoto's voice over the surprised murmurs.

"Stay back Rangiku!" using her first name to stop her. "This is my fight!" She stopped, but I knew that she was confused and upset.

"What is the meaning of this, Toushirou? They are the ones you should fight!"

I went into a stance and answered him. "You're evil, and it was never my intention to be on your side."

My statement sparked a murmur of conversation behind me. I could hear Karin's voice telling her brother and Rukia that she knew I wasn't bad.

Kusaka, meanwhile, finally realized what I wanted. What I thought he wanted. I mean, he focused on me instead concentrating on the King of the Soul Society stuff, right? He wants this as much as I do, I am sure of it.

I think.

"You want to fight me? Killing me once wasn't enough for you?" He screamed.

I NEVER wanted that duel. I hit him once and that was it. It was so incredibly unfair. And it was my fault. "I'm just trying to make amends for the mistakes I made."

"What mistakes are you talking about? You think killing me will purify your soul?"

Doesn't anyone understand? Doesn't everyone see? My problem, my fault.

**IT WASN'T YOUR FAULT, LITTLE ONE.** Hyorinmaru grumbled.

You can't see either? Damn it! I'm tired of trying to convince people. Fine, it is a time for actions. With a yell, I attacked Kusaka, ducking under his blade. He managed to swing his blade to block. The crescent on the chain flew up and I blocked. We traded blows, neither getting a hit on the other. But I could tell and I'd bet he could, that I would eventually win. I was always the better swordsman. I had to be. But it was a simple duel, that's all. That's what I wanted.

We eventually locked Zanpakutos and Kusaka spoke. "You knew all along that it would come to this?"

"Of course!"

"I see, I thought you were more intelligent than that, I guess I was wrong." The Ouin lit up and a wave of spiritual pressure pushed me back.

As I waited for his next move, he announced, "I guess I just have to do this myself! Answer to me, Ouin!"

"Don't do this!" I am giving you that chance. Please Kusaka. All I am asking is a fair fight. For you.

For me.

"Until now, I was unable to open the power of the Ouin with my Bankai. Now everything's changed. Now I can do it."

He threw the Ouin in to the air and cut it. No Bankai, No Shikai. Something was wrong, besides the obvious. If what he said was true, and all the scheming to get me to the place that I could theoretically use my Bankai to open it…

But he just slices it open with the unreleased form of his Zanpakuto?

He should have done that from the beginning if this was his goal. Twisting the knife in my gut could have waited. Why? It doesn't make any sense.

Unless, control is the issue. In Bankai, you possess and control massive amounts of spiritual pressure. It take along time to achieve for most, for your body and soul mast be able the handle it. It takes more time after that to control and use effectively. Kurosaki and I are the very rare exceptions, and even with me, they had to put seals on most of my power when I first achieved Bankai. My body couldn't handle it. I am at a quarter of what I could be.

Kusaka never achieved Bankai that I know of. In fact, he used raw power and a Shikai form from what I have gathered (albeit from a distance) from the fight with Rukia Kuchiki and Kurosaki. No finesse.

I'm betting Kusaka has no ability to CONTROL the power.

These thoughts came to me as he absorbed the Ouin's power. I screamed his name as the spiritual pressure got harder to withstand.

Then there was a lull. I looked into the back of Ichigo Kurosaki in Bankai.

"You have no need to suffer by yourself anymore."

Idiot! I grabbed his arm. "Out of my way Kurosaki!"

He wheeled around, yanking his arm out of my grip. We glared at each other; his passionate, my icy as he spoke. "This affects all of us! You can't shoulder this burden by yourself!" He yelled at me through the howling wind. "You are not the only one who's suffered and you are not the only one who feels pain, so you gotta let us help."

I looked down, ashamed. "I am no longer a captain, Ichigo." That HURT to say. I have nothing left. While I understood that this was bigger than me now, the core issue was still mine to bear, no one else's. Doesn't anyone underst….

Smack!

While I was musing, Ichigo Kurosaki, using all that Kurosaki charm and grace, hit me in the face. I wasn't prepared fro that, and fell backwards. I heard Karin's voice, angry at her brother, and she ran up to crouch next to me.

"You tried to endure all of this alone. Your friends want to help but you won't let them. Strong friends, who could have watched your back. Instead you dragged my sister into this, whom has no abilities; you turned your back on them. On us. Have you thought how that makes them feel?"

Yes, I did. I did it the way I did so I could keep them away from this and hurt them. Karin, I supposed she was far cleverer than everyone else. I looked back up at the upset Ichigo Kurosaki. He went on telling me how when you keep emotions to yourself, you hurt everyone else around you. And how he hurt his family doing the same thing.

I don't have a family. Just me. The closest people I have that I would consider family is Granny, Momo and Rangiku. Out of them, Rangiku was available. And because I do care about her, I made sure she wasn't burdened by this. Because I do care. Karin joined me on this because, as I stated before, she is cleverer than her brother and quite frankly, I forgot she was related to the orange-haired shinigami. Imagine that.

I looked up at Karin. She had a sad look in her eyes, as she nodded during he brother's story. It was her story, too. Perhaps that is why she risked her life to help me, as stupid as that was. Because she saw it happen once already.

Still, I could barely comprehend what he was trying to tell me, but I did know that I hurt Rangiku by not at least telling her. And I hurt Karin by allowing her to join me. I never wanted to hurt them.

"…If you keep it all inside, it just makes you weak!" He yelled.

Not sure if that was true, but apologies do need to be made, if I survive this. I slowly got back up, my stomach clenching in pain. I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth with the back of my hand.

"Captain!" "Captain Hitsugaya!"

I looked around startled. They were calling me Captain. All of them. To them, I was still a Captain of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads and deserving of respect.

Maybe, deserving of forgiveness.

The only one I really cared about calling me captain was Rangiku. Her opinion matters the most, in the end.

"Damn it Toushirou!"

Apparently Ichigo Kurosaki was expecting a speech from me. We had wasted enough time with his speech. And unlike him, I was paying attention to the enemy even though I was thinking of this mess.

I looked at him. "Get ready to fight Kurosaki, he's coming!"

XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX

IKKAKU'S ORDERS: I was bothered by the dub that it doesn't mention the execution orders. Knowing how information is spread by the Gotei 13 and the fact Renji knew about them (he called Rukia) it didn't make sense that he would say capture.

Or, perhaps, he was trying to give Toushirou one last chance. After all, he served under him on those advanced patrols. He probably thinks that Toushirou is an ok captain at the least. Maybe some respect at the most. I suspect the latter. However, for effect, I changed it to execution orders.

GOTEI 13: I fluctuate between the English version and this. It has been remarked upon. Honestly, it is for effect but I can say that one is more formal than the other and most likely can be used interchangeably. Like Shunpo and flash step.

The battle between Ikkaku, Renji, Toushirou and Yumichika wasn't really shown, but I added it. Boy, I know now why Tolkien never wrote the battle scenes! They are hard to do! And long, for the actions of a few seconds takes up paragraphs!

I really dislike referring to Zanpakutos as "swords." While they resemble swords, they are really not. Only people not familiar with them, like Karin, would call them swords. I changed that in Ichigo's speech to the crowd. I might have missed a few spots; this chapter was a bear to type.

Finally, justification of Toushirou's abilities to figure things out. If I had to expain, you may be reading the wrong fan fiction. Toushirou is a genius. Though never really said, but hinted, his is a master strategist. He did a pretty good job of playing detective during the Souls Society arc. So I let him fill in the scenes of them movie that were not written about here.


	8. Fight for the Seireitei

"What Best Friends are for."

A Bleach Fan Fiction.

Written by trekkiexb5.

Hitsugaya/K. Kurosaki friendship. Rated T for language.

DISCLAIMER: If Bleach was mine, I would make a chart of ages of everyone. In human AND Soul Society.

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

This is the chapter I am most nervous about. I have made a major deviation from the movie. Originally it wasn't that big of a departure, but rethinking, you can't drop a major plot point, and not to mention the main reason you are writing about, to the side. I tried to stay parallel with the movie, but there is some new material.

CHAPTER 7:

THE FIGHT FOR THE SEIREITEI

"Get ready to fight Kurosaki, he's coming!"

We both stared at the whirlwind. The temperature was dropping. At the centre of this phenomenon was Kusaka. When the dust cleared, Kusaka had incased himself in a draconic figure of ice.

"So this is the power of the Ouin! IT'S FINALLY MINE!" Kusaka threw his head back and cackled.

Before I could react, before any of us on the hill could react, a large ball of concentrated spirit energy sped past me.

Kenpachi Zaraki.

We watched as raw power hit raw power. As they exchanged blows, we couldn't hear the conversation, well not Zaraki's part of it, but Kusaka didn't sound too upset when he took the fight off Sokyoku Hill and apparently dumped several tons of ice on the Squad 11 captain after he threw him to the ground.

He laughed an evil laugh. "It's incredible! My power is unstoppable!"

Kusaka came back to the hill, his ice wings spraying the crowd with snow and spiritual pressure. "I give you one more chance, Toushirou, help me to achieve my goals, and I'll give you the duel you so badly want."

"I would never betray the Soul Society to the likes of you!" He cannot be that stupid. I may want a fight with him, but not at the cost of the Soul Society. What a stupid bargaining chi…

He laughed as he saw my face. I must have expressed my realization. I quickly whirled to find Karin, who, during Zaraki's interruption, was standing near Rukia Kuchiki. I ran back to her screaming her name but Kusaka shot his hand out, and a purple tinged Hyorinmaru emerged. It quickly grabbed Karin, and bought her to the dragon-Kusaka.

"KARIN!" Ichigo, Rukia Kuchiki, and I screamed at the same time. He was so fast! And we just stood there… Oh deities, Karin! She screamed, kicking the ice but to no avail.

"You better rethink your answer, my dear friend. Or your little girlfriend will spend her last moments slowly freezing to death. Your choice!" With a laugh, he then flew down to one of the many tall chimneys and layered ice on it, forming a pillar. We watched as the atmosphere started to react to his massive extraction of moisture.

We were, just standing there. I knew he would take her, I predicted it. How…why did I forget? Why did I…?

"Toushirou!" I looked up at Ichigo in time to catch his fist with my eye socket. I staggered back as he said. "You put my sister in DANGER, you little son of a bit…"

"No time for that! Ichigo! We have to save her!" Rukia said, running up to us. I could hear Rangiku in the distance, but my hearing was ringing and I was seeing double. Damn him!

"Yeah, but how are we going to do that?" He replied, anger tinting his voice.

"Captain!" Matsumoto arrived.

Damn it! She should be back with the rest of the crowd! I have to rescue one girl…I deserved Kurosaki's punch, but gods and deities, it hurt! And I have to fight. I had no choice. Kusaka wanted me.

Why did he want me? He opened the Ouin by himself. I kept going back to the lack of ability to control his power. The power, raw power from the Ouin was tremendous, but there was no control. Now another problem, if he had no control, attacking may tip the scales into an uncontrolled obliteration.

And Karin was at the centre of it all. Damn, Damn, Damn. What was I thinking?

As my vision finally cleared, I heard Ukitake speak. "He's transforming again? He is becoming even more powerful!" His voice was filled with fearful awe.

But indeed, that was going on. With a roar, Kusaka's pillar turned into a tree of ice, with branches and roots stabbing into the ground all across the Seireitei. I looked for Karin's reiatsu, and there, a candle in a lit room, I felt it. It was still very strong. I need to go, but my feet wouldn't move. I was petrified of the fact my forgetfulness got Karin kidnapped. Finally, the branches of the ice made it to the hill. Several lanced through the crowd, injuring some shinigami and causing a panic with others.

"Stand your ground, men!" Bellowed the Head Captain. "We cannot retreat! The criminal Sojiro Kusaka must be destroyed!"

My military training kicked in. We have marching orders, and my fear induced paralysis disappeared. A chorus of "Yes, sir!" was heard and the captains and lieutenants led the charge. I was the last, knowing that Matsumoto was a few steps behind me as we ascended unto the ice branches to Kusaka. I could see Captain Kuchiki's Shikai, a pink cloud, and moved ahead of him towards the draconic form.

Please be careful, Byakuya, Karin is there.

Abarai's Shikai came out right after his captain's, carefully controlled but with no effect. But it bought enough time for many of the officers to surround Kusaka. I could see that Karin was to one side, in a bird cage like ice formation. She was screaming her brother's and my name. Her reiatsu was tainted with fear, and any control of it she may have had was gone.

We were still running on the branches with Rukia Kuchiki and Ichigo Kurosaki just ahead of us. Kusaka laughed at the surrounding officers and declared that they were in his way. Another spike of tremendous spiritual pressure, which he used to fling the officers back, and shattering the branches he just created. The four of us plunged to the ground below as the ice gave way.

Oh, gods! Karin has no protection against such powerful spiritual pressure. This could crush her!

I must have blacked out for a moment because when I awoke, I saw that Matsumoto was holding a huge fragment of ice, preventing it from crushing me.

"Rangiku," I murmured, still a bit fuzzy from the landing.

"I'm all right, Captain." Then she grunted as the ice started to slip from her. I could tell it was a strain for her. The danger of the situation hit my pain soaked brain. I quickly stood up and gave the ice chunk a good reiatsu powered kick and force it to fall in the opposite direction.

"What were you doing?" I was exasperated that she would push herself so.

"I was told that it was a lieutenant's duty to protect her captain, no matter what."

I stared at her, incredulously. First of all, me? After what I did? I was still her captain in her mind, her heart? Two: what danger…oh. I was unconscious. Still, it just made the burden of guilt on me so much worse. The pain in her eyes. The happiness in them just knowing I was alive.

Why? Why me? I was both thankful and so undeserving of that. She must know that. She is highly intelligent.

Why, why, why?

Noises distracted me from my inner debate. Rukia Kuchiki and Ichigo Kurosaki made it, it seems. Karin would be…

"I guess we are not the only ones. Looks like you guys survived, too!" Ichigo grinned at us. Master of the obvious.

Idiot!

Karin!

"Kurosaki! Karin!" I said to him.

His eyes widened, "yeah, let's…"

"Rukia, Ichigo!" Abarai flash stepped in.

"Renji, what's wrong?"

He sputtered, surprised. "What's WRONG? Are you kidding me? Look around you!"

By all the deities in all the worlds…Kusaka did THAT! The structure looked like something out of Hueco Mundo. It resembled a four legged stool, an insanely huge, evil looking four legged stool, and under the seat gaped a maw-like structure.

Kusaka was making up for lost time in spades.

"Looks like Kusaka built himself a castle." Renji clearly was being sarcastic. "As far as I can tell, we are trapped inside some sort spiritual wall."

Well, the black and red sky isn't exactly normal for the Seireitei.

"What do we do…?" Ichigo asked. He was way out of his depth, but I was surprised that he asked…

"You're asking the wrong guy," Renji answered…

…taking the words right out of my mouth. Before I could say anything, Soifon and Yoruichi showed up and gave us an update from the Head-Captain's point of view.

Damnit! Kusaka has Karin! As much as I wanted to charge up that…thing and rescue her, we needed a plan, we needed to figure our assets we…

I suddenly realized something else during Soifon's briefing. I was being ignored. Not that I had much to say, but I was not asked my opinions, at least. I know the enemy the most. But I probably deserved to be shut out of the planning. Still, it hurt.

It hurt…immensely.

Then the Squad 11 immature brigade showed up. Ayasegawa and Madarame. They couldn't be chucked on the other side of the barrier. I really need to have a heart to heart with my karma afterwards. Hyorinmaru chuckled in the back of my head. Still, they were another asset for us to use.

Oh, speaking of karma…

"I guess we got some company," Yoruichi stated as the maw of the structure opened and started to spew out hollows. Lots of hollows.

As we watched Soifon and the goddess of flash step leave, Ichigo started to make his battle plans.

I wanted to say something. But I couldn't, wouldn't. I lost that right. I am not a captain anymore.

"Captain?" I heard Rangiku approach me from behind. Funny, I forgot about her. She was so uncharacteristically quiet.

"Hmm?" I waited for her to say what she wanted to say. Hopefully fast. Karin is still alive and in need of rescuing. And that in a battle thing…

"I brought this."

I turned to look at her. In her hands was my Haori, neatly folded. She held it out to me.

My eyes widened. Did I deserve this? More importantly why does she think I deserve this? Should I take it? Just looking at it made me feel so guilty. I'm a horrible captain. I looked around at everyone else. Did they think I deserve it? I looked into each person's eyes. I was shocked. They were waiting, expecting me to put it on.

I saw it in their eyes, I was still Captain Hitsugaya. I was still worthy.

I was deserving of their loyalty and their honor. I was thankful, still I did not understand why. But it was their expressions that gave me the power to shed the cloak, put on the Haori on, unwrapped my Zanpakuto, and place the sash and brooch where they belong.

And that action gave me the courage to give commands. I felt better than I had for days. The reiatsu and the lack of limiters allowed me to tap into wells of energy that were untouched in the World of the Living.

"Matsumoto"

"Yes, sir."

"Watch my back, will you?"

"Yes, sir!" She sounded happy.

After I warned them to be careful with their powers around Karin, we divided into two teams and tackled the monstrosity ahead of us. I felt good, great even. This was where I belonged; doing something I was proud of. With my sense of identity returned, the self doubt that had been plaguing me for days faded along with the pain to the background.

Funny how a piece of silk-lined white cloth can change your perceptive.

My group worked its way to the top, despite the eerily familiar electrical attacks of a hollow that would make Gillians look like small animals. With Kenpachi's 'help,' we destroyed one of the 'legs' and distracted the electrical hollow. Only Squad 11…

Nevertheless, we reached the top. It looked like Kusaka just tore a piece of the Seireitei and made it the table of the stool. Most of the buildings were intact and in good shape…

Never mind all the Menos Grande. I went straight to Bankai. The pillar of ice, where Karin's small but strong reiatsu flashed like a lighthouse in a storm, was in the centre; there were an awful lot of high powered hollows between it and us. And they were all regenerating, fast.

Now Matsumoto wanted to clear a path so I could get to the centre while I leave my lieutenant and teammates to the never ending battle? I wanted to, so bad. It wasn't about being the hero, but to assuage my guilt about Karin.

Ok, a little of playing the hero was part of it.

But to sacrifice my teammates? I need to think objectively. Tactically, it really made sense. I was the strongest of the four and the fastest. I have Bankai. I have the highest chance of surviving to the top solo, rescuing Karin, and defeating Kusaka. Kusaka wanted me there. And it was my fight, anyways. But to leave them, after I just earned their respect again?

"But…" I stuttered.

Madarame interrupted. "Sounds like a great idea, Rangiku got it right but I should be able to handle that opening by myself."

Ok, Squad 11's over-zealous bragging mantra is going to get him killed. There are others that can help. It's ok to work as a team…

"I just got one condition. This attack stays our little secret," He paused. "BANKAI!"

Hell! My eyes widened. He had a Bankai? For how long? Why hide it? Idiot! After this was over, he and I need to have a little talk. The man was hiding this for a reason, and it better damn well be a good one. We have three empty captain's spots, and he could fill one of them. I know he is capable enough despite the occasional idiotic tendencies.

So we watched Madarame's Zanpakuto turn into three stupidity large weapons. He started to clear a path along with help from Ayasegawa and Matsumoto. I took off. I felt a blast of spiritual pressure to my right. I could see Captain Kuchiki's Bankai as a small wall of pink in the distance. It suddenly dissipated as I felt Kurosaki burst out at an alarming rate towards the pillar.

He easily caught up with me with his visored; Arracar or whatever power that mask gave him. Kusaka, of course, felt us coming and sent down a bunch of Hyorinmaru Shikai attacks towards Ichigo Kurosaki.

Like that was going to stop us. Ichigo Kurosaki avoided them, never slowing down. I countered with my own larger version that easily crushed them before they could make a pass at him again.

Karin's reiatsu suddenly dimmed. DAMN! I heard a roar from Ichigo and we raced to the top. He got there first, blocking an insanely powerful blast from Kusaka. I flew to the opposite side, behind Kusaka, hoping to break open the cage to free Karin.

Ichigo Kurosaki kept Kusaka busy as I tried to open the cage without causing harm to the occupant or getting Kusaka's attention. The ice would not melt on my command; it wasn't my ice to begin with. None of the kido I threw at it was working; I was contemplating a Shikai when Karin's reiatsu suddenly shut off.

Then her reiatsu flared.

From the sky, a large reiatsu-filled purple lightning bolt flashed down to strike the cage, shattering it easily.

It was Karin's reiatsu. How…?

She was trying to get up, but the lightning bolt caught Kusaka's attention. "You little brat!" He roared as he raised his hand towards her. And turned his attention away from Ichigo Kurosaki. I sent out a Shikai and swooped in, grabbing her and creating a shield from my wings. Kusaka's claws raked my ice, gouging it deeply. But that wasn't important. I sent my Shikai around to the other side and up through Kusaka's pillar. It shot through the ice and attacked him.

He whirled on my shikai Hyorinmaru, and I took that opportunity to vacate the area with Karin. I knew what was coming. People can be predictable.

"You little pest! You defy me? I will kill her in front of you slowly…" WRONG thing to say, considering who the other person in this attack was.

I just watched Kusaka trying to rip my ice dragon from his neck.

And I heard Ichigo Kurosaki cry "Getsuga tensho!" and he drove his sword in at point blank range.

We got him. Well, his connection to the Ouin. The ice dragon that was Kusaka shattered, sending him down to the pillar itself. A ray of light went up, starting to dissolve the barrier.

Now all he had to do is to grab the power again. But he didn't, couldn't or wouldn't. I was not sure which.

I carefully sat the bewildered Karin down and shattered my Bankai. Ichigo Kurosaki stood next to me, removing his mask. I wonder what Kusaka's next move would be. I was weary of all this guilt and pain. I wanted it done. I wanted to give Kusaka that chance he didn't have. A fair opportunity to win Hyorinmaru.

**Child,** Hyorinmaru said, in a chiding tone. **I was always yours. Never doubt that. What you want is to assuage guilt that isn't yours to have in the first place.**

_Well, you could have said that before._ I retorted.

**I could have, but would you have listened?**

_Point._

Kusaka got up, looking tired, weary. I know the feeling.

"Go on, you take it from here," Ichigo quietly spoke. He wasn't going to interfere, good.

"Go stand with your brother Karin," I said, not even looking at her. I took a few steps forward, and dropped into a stance. I waited for Kusaka.

"Hitsugaya," he panted.

"No more," No discussions, no Ouin, no nothing. "It's over." Time to do what should have been done all those years ago. A fight to the death, no interruptions, for the honor of carrying Hyorinmaru.

He pulled his weapon up and dropped into a stance. "You're right. Let's end this!"

We looked at each other for a moment in silence. I had no doubt in my mind I would win. That I was the master of Hyorinmaru. I earned it and mastered it.

I'm sorry Kusaka, but you are going to die again.

The actual duel was anti-climatic. I stabbed Kusaka through the heart, and he got my side. His blade shattered.

I am so sorry, Kusaka. You were my first real and true friend. And you will always be my friend. I told him so as he dissolved and the Ouin reformed, dropping to the ground.

All the energy, adrenalin or whatever left me. I was tired, but the guilt of Kusaka's death was gone. I don't quite understand why Hyorinmaru showed for both him and me. Questions for later, I supposed, but I do know it was never his, but mine.

"Toushirou?" I looked up into Karin's eyes. They were swirling with relief anxiety and concern. She grabbed my hand. "You won."

I nodded, not wanting to speak just yet. So I just stood there, thinking, with Karin quietly holding my hand. She left me to my thoughts. She always seemed to know when to be quiet around me. My thoughts were a swirl of mundane trivia, like the ice pillar cleanup and the castle removal when Ichigo approached Karin and I.

"Thank you for your help, and your forgiveness." I said quietly.

Ichigo let out a puff of air. "You know what? I don't think he had any regrets."

I turned to look at him in confusion. He tossed the Ouin to me and continued. "This time he got a fair chance to settle things. Sometimes it seems life isn't giving us a fair shake, you know what I mean?"

More than you know, Ichigo. Karin giggled a little. Even before this, she has heard me bitching about my karma.

"And no one can tell us to get beyond that. We have to figure it out ourselves."

Yes. I looked at this tiny thing in my hand. So small. I thought of Kusaka and probably shouldn't complain about my karma too much.

Ichigo continued. "He was given a second chance and he decided to come back here. He could have let someone else do it for him, but he wanted to settle things himself. That's it; he stayed true to his feelings. Although he sure put all of us through hell."

"And," he added, almost at a whisper. "you're forgiven."

I didn't quite understand what he was saying. Nor, I think, did it matter. But the fact he was trying to cheer me up and rationalize Kusaka's actions was amusing and very human. I chuckled.

"Karin, Toushirou, let's head back."

"Yeah." I released Karin's hand as Ichigo gestured to her to come to him. I was bleeding and ill, no condition to be carrying anyone. And I needed to return this to the Head Captain.

I took a step then I stopped. Wait a minute. "It's not Toushirou, it's Captain Hitsugaya." There wasn't any venom in my correction. "Come on."

He picked up his sister in his arms as we shunpo'ed to Sokyoku Hill, where the Head Captain was waiting. I felt Kuchiki (both of them) Matsumoto and the rest of the usual gang of idiots follow.

I was very, very exhausted. I had used up all my carefully stored reserves for this fight. While the icy feeling from my wound was gone, I was still suffering from the infection. Plus a new wound, pierced through my side, was bleeding. At this point the only thing driving to stay upright and mobile was the fact I wanted to put the Ouin in the Head Captain's hands.

Alas, it didn't work out that way. I miscalculated the last few steps and suddenly the ground was rushing at me for a third time in so many days.

Not a big deal for a shinigami, normally. We are all trained to cushion our falls with reiatsu instinctually. Unfortunally, my mind was asking how to do that and wasn't getting any answers. Still, a several story drop is painful, but not deadly for a shinigami. We are far tougher than a mere mortal human.

Apparently my mind decided that a reiatsu 'push' was the correct thing to do. I smashed myself into a space a few feet from the Head Captain, left side of my head making contact with a large and very sharp rock.

I heard a splat.

The Ouin bounced out of my hand.

"Ouin…return…sorry" I managed to say before the world faded from view.

XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX

Dear lord this was a tough one! I originally wrote the scene pretty much like the movie, leaving Karin in the hands of Ukitake. Story wise, that was stupid. The story was written BECAUSE of Karin, not for any other reason. So I stuck her back in. Not sure if it worked out, and there is probably a few changes I will make after everything is completed. If there was a chapter that needs review, this is it!

Also, for a battle scene, it was slow in places. But a lot needed to be said, particularly when Toushirou gets his Haori back. I tried to hide what I deemed the slowing of the action in the movie in Toushirou's reflections of what was going on. It also made the Haori scene make a little more understandable. At least, I hoped it did.

FYI: My beta didn't get the expression "in spades" so I looked it up for her and posted on facebook. Here's my reply:

_Got your answer. "in Spades" refers to playing cards. Spades are almost the highest su__it, so meant abundance or most. FYI Espadas means swords in Spanish, and they are spades of spanish decks (which I own one)_

Please read and review


	9. Recovery and Apologies

"What Best Friends are for."

A Bleach Fan Fiction.

Written by trekkiexb5.

Hitsugaya/K. Kurosaki friendship. Rated T for language.

DISCLAIMER: If Bleach was mine, the Winter War would have been done by now!

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

This chapter isn't the movie. Now we are exploring what happens afterword. Our favourite little Captain was naughty. And he is in a quasi-military organization. He is going to be punished or they risk discipline problems within the ranks.

TO ALL THE DDO PLAYERS OUT THERE: Please read Unohana's sign. You will know what I mean.

**Zanpakuto talking**

_Inner world._

CHAPTER 8:

RECOVERY AND APOLOGIES

"TOUSHIROU!"

"CAPT…HIT…"

"…arm…broken…ribs…"

"…Unohana…fracture…"

"Careful…move…gently…move…head…NO!"

I came back to consciousness with a searing white hot flash of pain from my head. I screamed as the pain shot down my body reeking havoc. I felt myself gagging on my own regurgitation. Each gag/cough added to the pain. But I managed to roll to my side and heave the contents of my stomach onto the ground. My worldview consisted of blurry colours of brown, black and white; and smelled of vomit.

I couldn't remember…

"I need to get him to Division Headquarters now!" A voice commanded. A memory trickled up. Unodana. "We must try not to move his head too much! Isane, go ahead and prep a team for surgery. We will need to operate immediately!"

I was forgetting something important. I understood what was going on around me but I did not understand them. I felt detached, like I was observing.

"Here, use my haori," White flashed through my vision. Ukitake's name floated up. "We can use it to lift him onto your Zanpakuto, Retsu. Ok we need to roll him CAREFULLY. One…Two…Three…"

I remember now. Kusaka. He must have captured me! I suddenly reacted in fear as the hands touched me and move me back on my back. I flailed feebly. Why are they doing this? Leave me alone!

I felt a cool hand in mine. "It's ok Toushirou," Karin. She's still with me, good. We can escape together. But she sounded so distant? Maybe she's in a different cell… "They are taking you someplace so you can heal."

"Heal?" Yes I am sick but Aizen wouldn't heal me!

"Yes, heal," my body shifted and started to float. The hand slipped from my grasp.

"Karin?" I gasped. Must fight the guards. Where were we, in Hueco Mundo? "Stay with me or Kusaka may hurt you!"

"It's okay, Toushirou," she called. She was so far away. I was losing her! Aizen will torture her for sure! "They are lifting you and putting you on a giant one-eyed flying whale, I think."

Flying whale? What in the hell is a whale? What's flying? Kusaka-Aizen's nefarious creatures? "Damn it girl! Stay with me! It is bad enough your brother is going to kill me because I couldn't outrun you!"

"Toushirou," she said her voice very faint. There was a fog rolling in. Did Hueco Mundo have fogs? Does it have bogs? "Kusaka is dead. And my brother didn't kill you."

Her brother? She has a brother? It didn't make sense, why couldn't I see anything? Was I blindfolded? The restraints were clawlike. I was confused and quite frightened. "Karin, please take my hand. I need to know you are okay."

I felt my body touch the ground again. I heard voices I couldn't understand. The pain was overwhelming. I called for her again. I need to know if she was alive and okay. I forgot her name what was my name? Was I drugged?

Then I felt HER hand and heard HER voice, "It's ok Toushirou. I'm right here."

Relieved, I fell into darkness.

XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX

I dreamed.

I dreamed of Kusaka and what life would be if he was the Chosen One, not I. I dreamed of Rangiku, seeing her happy with a Gin that wasn't a traitor. I dreamed of Momo, happy and childlike. I'd liked the bed wetter one than the one that currently exists. I dreamed of Karin, endless days of playing soccer and laughing and eating ice cream with her. I dreamed of Ichigo; of him maturing into what he should be, a great captain. I dreamed of deserts and hollows and Arracar and Espada. I dreamed of place with no water but lots of blood. I dreamed of Aizen. I dreamed I saw his true face. I trembled in that dream.

I dreamed of pain.

I dreamed of frost and cold, of snow and mountains. No this was not a dream. This was my inner world.

**Hello little one.**

"_Hyorinmaru" I breathed, a cold breeze ruffled my hair._

**It is time to awaken. You have been in the grip of the fever dreams for too long. There are people who are worried about you.**

"_People?"_

**Yes.**

"_I am afraid," I admitted. "Waking means I must face reality. The payment for things I have done. What do I have to look forward to, but deserved humiliation. What is there out there that I want, or even need?" _

**So you rather hide in your mind rather than take responsibility for your actions? I did not choose a coward to be my Guardian, nor are you one.**

"_But…But…" I sighed frustrated. "I did something horribly wrong. They will take away everything I worked for…"_

**Now you are lying to me, to yourself, boy!** _Hyorinmaru roared his voice great and terrible. It shook me to the core. _**Foolish Child! Admit your fears and face them!**

_I knew what he meant. If anything, I am not a coward, and if execution is my punishment, I will face it with dignity._

**Boy, it is more than a fear of death that melts your courage.**

_I was afraid of what? Then I realized it. I swallowed and answered. "I am afraid to see disappointment in their eyes. To see that I failed them…worse that I hurt them. And they are right to be angry. I am ashamed that what__ I fear the most is the fear of them losing their pride in me."_

**Correct. Remember, I am always with you, but I am not the only one. Do not turn away from others. You will find that they will not turn from you. Now go, swallow your pride and answer for your actions. Ask for forgiveness. Now awake!**

XXX

I blinked, slowly adjusting my eyes to the brightness of the room. I coughed, which attracted attention.

"Welcome back, Captain Hitsugaya," The soft voice of Captain Unohana. "How are you feeling?"

I tried to answer but all I got out was a rasp. She murmured to someone else in the room and I suddenly felt hands on my head lifting me up into a half reclined position. A cup was held to my mouth. After several sips of cold clear water, I answered her. "I feel blurry."

She softly chuckled. "That is in part caused by the pain medication. Though," I felt a hand caress the left side of my temple where a bandage was taped. "You did an excellent job of trying to become a part of Sokyoku Hill. It took me an hour to put the skull fragments back so we could heal you properly. No brain damage as far as I can tell."

"Then why fuzzy?" That didn't come out right. I frowned. "Brain damm…"

"No, that's the medication talking. The fact you recognized it was wrong tells me your head is there. There could be speech problems, but they are easily fixed with therapy. However, I highly doubt it. You won't even have a scar from the head injury."

"Else?" I hate fuzzy!

"Oh, a punctured lung, broken ribs, left arm broken, not to mention the fresh stab wound from Kusaka. All this in time will heal well with little to no scarring. The stomach wound hasn't fully healed. We have to make sure the infection was cleared before applying kido. It will scar. And because of it, you will be my guest for a week. I am impressed with that human child, Karin Kurosaki. She did an excellent job dressing the wound and treated it well. But the infection was deep and she could not treat it with the supplies she had. However, without her you would probably have not made it. You should thank her."

"Did." I did thank her, but I would do it again. "Long out?"

"Four days. You've had visitors, many haven't even left since you were brought in, but we have kept the traffic to a minimum. Most are outside now. Do you wish to see them?" She asked me.

"Can't see nuthin'" Inwardly cringing at my language. "All fuzzy."

Unohana laughed again. "Well, it would make them happy to see you awake. It will only be for a few minutes. I suspect you will fall asleep soon." She patted my arm and I could hear a door opening.

I was tired. But, to be honest, I was curious who would be waiting for me to wake up. Matsumoto would, I supposed. Not sure who else. Ukitake perhaps. A few moments later I heard voices and a door opened again. Unohana warned them to keep their voices low and my replies to one word answers.

"Captain!" Matsumoto said. By the squeal at the end of the word, she wanted to be much louder. With a lung crushing hug afterwards. But she took my hand and held it gently. She became a blonde/black/pink blur on my right. "I am so glad you have awakened. I was so worried." I could feel her other hand fluffing my hair. I also could feel weeks of mothering from her. That would be annoying. But right now it felt good.

It wasn't like I could get her to stop it.

Another hand took my right. I moved my head a little and saw a red/pink/black blur, much shorter than Rangiku. "Hey Toushirou, you know who this is right?"

"Karin." I managed to say, coughing at the end. "Water."

"Here," An orange/black/pink blur stood over me and held the cup. Ichigo, I thought as I sipped. He was surprisingly gentle, not forcing the water down my throat and knew when to stop giving the liquid to me. Well, his dad is a doctor, and Karin told me all three of them helped in his clinic.

I must have said that out loud. "Hey, he remembered that our dad's a doctor! I told him that!"

"Yeah, so? Why is it important that he remembers our dad's a doctor?" Ichigo answered.

"Duh! Head injury!" Karin answered back.

"We shinigami are tougher than that." Ikkaku Madarame stated with an air of annoyance.

"Yes, we can sustain far worse injuries and walk away. Though the captain was most ungraceful in his landing." Ayasegawa's voice.

" 'Ungraceful?' What was ungraceful was puking on the Head-Captain's tabi." Renji Abarai. "But it was so funny!"

Oh dear lord I did what? "I...dead now"

A silence from the crowd in my room, then they all burst into laughter. Loud laughter that grated on my head. A door opened and the voice of Captain Kuchiki could be heard. "Captain Unohana gave you instructions to keep your voices lowered. It would behoove you to follow her orders."

"We apologize, brother," Rukia Kuchiki, in a lower, but still full of laughter, voice. "But Captain Hitsugaya made a joke."

A joke?

"A joke?" I could see in my mind the proverbial Kuchiki eyebrow arch as he echoed my thoughts. "Most surely not. You are probably misinterpreting him. You all have interred yourselves in the hallway outside his room for three days."

All of them?

"Well, so have you, Byakuya." First names? Ichigo, suicide is not an option. Is it too hard for you to respect us captains? Wait, Captain Kuchiki has been here too? Why?

"I am here on official business."

"Uh huh." Ichigo drolly replied. "So explain why Juushirou and Kenpachi are there too?"

"I do not know. I suggest you ask them yourself, Ichigo Kurosaki."

"Hey, wait a minute…!"

I felt myself drifting towards sleep. The voices lulled me like a lullaby. The last voice, the voice of Hyorinmaru, was a satisfied. 'I told you so' which ushered me into dreams.

The next several days were a blur, both figuratively and literally. According to Unohana, the bruised tissues around my eyes where healing and lowering the pressure around my eye sockets. That is why my vision improved. Still fuzzy, but I now could tell who people were even before they spoke.

Many people came and visited me. I was surprised. The enviable baskets of candy soon decorated the room, which I could not be angry about. I tried to be angry, it just fell flat. Karin ended up eating most of it, along with Squad 11's little pink tornado of endless energy. Both were my most frequent visitors, Yachiru for the candy, and Karin staying for hours talking to me. She told me she was confined to the Squad Four Division and hadn't seen anything.

"Ichigo gets to go places…" She had grumbled, pouting.

Karin managed to get a deck of playing cards. She spent time teaching me how to play poker, solitaire, old maid, gin rummy and several other games. Karin would sit at one end of my bed, and I, legs crossed sat on the other, the card game in between. Even though my eyesight was blurry and I sometimes had to move the cards back and forth to figure out what I had been dealt, I still won some games. I slept a lot, usually in the after noon. Then before dinner, I was usually mobbed by several more of the 'regulars.' But always Matsumoto would be there. She was the last one to leave, eating dinner with me and holding my hand as I drifted off into a medicated sleep.

She likes to mother, and being bed ridden, I have no where to run. It makes her happy, so I did not remark on it. I figured it would take a little off some of the trouble I caused her by not getting upset about it. Once I am freed from my medical prison, however…

On my fifth day, instead of Karin, Captain Ukitake joined me in the morning. He had visited in the evenings, but today I could tell it was different. This was an official call.

"How are you feeling Captain Hitsugaya?" He asked, not sitting as he usually does.

"Better, thank you Captain Ukitake," I answered in the same reverence. "This is an official call, am I correct?"

He smiled, gently but strained. "Yes, but I will not be the one to speak to you. I am here to make sure you are ready for this visitor"

"I am being released in a couple of days, so while still injured, I should be ok. " I wondered who it could be. He nodded and went to the door, holding it open.

Holding it open for Head Captain Yamamoto. I sat up straight on the bed as Juushirou smiled at me and left the room.

Silence. I could feel his eyes as I stared at my lap. Finally I looked up and coughed. "Uhm, sir? You can have a seat sir, if you wish, that is." Anything but the damn silence.

He waited a moment and then sat down. "How are you feeling, Captain Hitsugaya?"

Still Captain. "Better, sir. Still some issues but Captain Unohana says I should make a full recovery."

"Excellent."

Silence

I hate silence. Just rip the scab off already! "Sir, I…I thank you for your visit but I believe you are here for more than a social visit. Am I correct?"

A chuckle from the Old Man. "You are most astute young man. You are correct; this is not a social visit. I am here to decide your punishment, if needed."

I looked at the bedspread again. "Sir."

"Do you think you need to be punished?"

How to answer? I sensed two questions in that one. "If I were you, yes I would, just for good order and discipline within the ranks. A captain should know better. But to be honest, I'd rather not be punished, but I will accept any punishment you hand out, sir!"

"Even if it is an execution?"

My hands started to tremble. "Yes sir. As I said, I rather not be punished but if that is the will of the Head-Captain and other Captains, I will go to my death with what honor I have left." I clutched the bedspread tightly in both fists. I could not look at him.

"Do you think you deserve execution?"

I thought for a moment. "By the letter of the law, I do." That was incredibly hard to say.

"Hmmm…he was quite correct, you are harder on yourself than everyone around you."

I looked at him suddenly. Who said what? He had one eye opened, leaning forward on his staff. "Do not worry, Captain Hitsugaya, I can assure you execution is not in your future."

I was relieved, however, "Why?" I asked.

"Well, the last execution went so well I decided not to test the waters with another one for awhile. However, all the rest of the possibilities are still there, including incarceration for a 1,000 years. It will depend on your testimony four days from now."

The day after I leave Squad Four's hands. "Yes sir," I couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Hmmm…Lieutenant Matsumoto will be here this afternoon with the paperwork that I want you to complete before that meeting. This includes a revision of the report when you were in the World of the Living. I want honesty in these reports. As you are one of the most honest captains, I was bitterly disappointed in you during this Kusaka foolishness, Captain Hitsugaya." He stood up. "I would hope that you will reflect on your choices you have made during this incident. The official notice will be given to Lieutenant Matsumoto."

"Sir," my voice quavering. I felt like a child being scolded severely.

He turned to go. "One more thing," He said, before opening my door. "You will have some other visitors soon. Think hard on those you hurt when you greet them."

"Sir."

He left. I sat there, my fists balled up. Damnit! I will control myself! I am not a child, but a captain! I will behave as such! Captains don't cry!

My mantra almost worked.

XXX

My visitors came an hour later.

Lieutenants Izaru Kira and Shuuhei Hisagi.

I must have done a number on Kira's leg, for the healers put it in a cast. My guilt clenched my stomach. Damn.

"Captain Hitsugaya!" They chorused and bowed, well attempted too.

I frowned. "Sit down please. You are both injured." I looked down at the bed spread. I was starting to see shapes in the threads from staring at it too long. I sighed and glanced up at their faces. I saw no anger, just some confusion. I know Kira better than Hisagi, and I know he could be emotionless if he wanted. Silence again. I gotta do this! I have done it in the past.

I let out another sigh and looked both straight in the eye. "I really don't know what to say here but I am sorry that you were injured badly by me due to my apparent…foolishness." I swallowed hard and made a slight bow to both. "I humbly apologize for that. And if you can, get a list of the men that were under your command at the time, I will apologize to every one of them."

I couldn't look at them. I just stayed bowed. I again, crushed my bed spread in my fists. I just…it is so hard to swallow my pride. I was trying very hard not to shake.

Damnable silence again.

"Captain Hitsugaya?" I looked up at them. Kira looked at Hisagi, who nodded. "Sir, we had the situation explained to us. It was apparent, and this was noted on our reports, despite saying you were going to kill us, you definitely went out of the way not to. I mean, even with the injuries, which were a lot, most were minor."

"Except your leg," I stated.

Kira gave me half grin, "Well, it was a hairline fracture until I tried to walk on it, against the healer's advice." Ah, the cast. There's a sign in Captain Unohana's office that reads 'We don't heal stupidity.' Still, it did assuage my guilt a bit, not being the direct cause of him wearing a cast.

Hisagi coughed. "Sorry, there's more." I nodded for him to continue. "We talked to all the men ourselves and came up with this:" He stopped and looked at Kira, who nodded. "Sir, we both have a lot of respect for you. You have helped and guided us both when our own captains had forsaken us. You made sure that we understood that you were there for any questions or help, all we had to do was to ask.

"We did not believe that you were like them." The distaste for Aizen, Ichimaru and Tosen was very clear on both of their faces. "And to us, the attack proved it. So we decided that if you apologized for your actions, we would forgive you."

A slight blush tinted Kira's face as he spoke up, "You forgave me and even stood up for me. Even when I attacked Momo and blindly stood by my captain. I should be just as forgiving as you are."

I was surprised. They just forgave me? Just like that? Because I said 'I'm sorry?' Why? I shook my head, clearing the confusion off my face. They were being honest and sincere, like me. I would not dishonor that.

"Thank you," I finally and quietly replied.

After an awkward silence where I know they wanted to say something but didn't, they just stood up, bowed and started to leave the room.

"Sir?" Hisagi spoke up, just before he left the room. "I have a question, you don't have to answer it, but I feel I need to ask."

I did not look at him. "Ask." I said.

"Thank you sir. My question sir is this: Why didn't you ask for help? I mean, we would have helped if you asked."

Why, indeed. "I been asking that myself over the last few days. I honestly do not have an answer, Lieutenant."

Silence, then Kira spoke up. "Sir, if it means anything to you, we were asked if we thought that you were worthy to be a captain, someone we would follow, and we replied yes, and that you should remain as one."

I was grateful I was facing away from the door and they could not see my face. I know I was gaping in surprise. I don't understand this! "I do not know why you would give such a recommendation, but I thank you."

"Sir!" They chorused and left the room. I flopped down on the bed, my arm covering my eyes. I was tired, confused and frustrated. They praise me when I did not follow my own good advice. I just don't understand. The Head-Captain's cryptic 'harder on myself than others,' statement bothered me too. I sighed and rolled to one side. I am harder on myself. I'm a captain, damnit! I need to be held to a higher standard. I should hold myself to a higher standard, and I do. But with this overwhelming kindness and support, why? While nice, it wasn't helping my understanding of the bigger picture. What was I missing?

I must have dozed off, because I was awaken by Karin and a nurse with the lunch tray. I looked at my meal, any desire to eat disappeared after this morning's plethora of visitors.

"Hey, Toushirou, what's wrong?" Karin was sitting on my bed swinging her legs while idly shuffling the playing cards.

"None of your business, you wouldn't under…" I paused. I remembered saying that I was going to try to be her best friend. Should I tell her? Do best friends share stuff like that? I believe so. So confusing. I sighed. I have been sighing a lot lately. "Uhm…I am not sure if I should tell you, or if you could understand it." I offered. Perhaps she could make the choice for me.

"It not like some top secret 13 squadron stuff, right?"

"No, I don't believe so."

"Ok, why would it be a problem for me? Cuz I am too young? Or because I am human?"

I thought about it. "Both really. But you are more mature than your age, and have grasped strange concepts pretty well. I…I guess what I was asking was," I paused not sure if I should go on. Baring my soul to another is a new concept for me. Well, outside Hyorinmaru, and he really doesn't count. "I was asking if I could tell you what's on my mind. I mean, I know you said we were best friends and all…" I knew I was blushing. I couldn't even look at her. I drew circles in my half eaten bowl of rice with my chopsticks.

"Duh!" I looked up to see her grinning. "Of course you're my best friend, idiot! You can tell me ANYTHING!"

I collected my thoughts for am moment. "In a few days, I will be going to see the Head-Captain for my punishment." How to say it. "I am a little nervous about it."

"It wasn't like it was unexpected. You had been saying that for days."

"I know but…" I shook my head. Maybe Karin doesn't understand. "Never mind, uhm…The guys from the shrine came here today."

Karin stopped the shuffling and looked at me. "The blonde guy and that tattoo dude?" I nodded. "Nice guys. I said sorry to Kira a few days back. He said I had an impressive kick, cuz I really bruised his stomach!" She giggled at the memory.

"And you weren't…embarrassed or anything?"

"Well, yeah, a little. But Ichigo said I should say I'm sorry, and he's right, though I didn't tell him that! Don't need to inflate his ego any more. He took me to their room. I said I was sorry and then we talked for awhile. They asked a lot of questions about you."

"They did?"

"Yeah." She turned to look directly at me. "What's this about, Toushirou? You did tell them you were sorry, right?" She cocked an eyebrow at me.

I confirmed that I did, and quickly and concisely told her what they said. Karin frowned at my confusion. "You know, those guys think the world of you. That is all they were blathering about; how much you helped them for this or that."

"So?" Confusion created anger within me. "So? Liking a person doesn't mean they deserve respect or authority. Because I like Yachiru doesn't mean I think she should be a lieutenant. Why should they stand up for me?"

She shook her head for a moment. Karin dropped the deck on the bed and suddenly lunged at me. She leaned over the lap desk and knocking the now cold rice bowl over. Hands on either side of my head, she stared straight into mine, anger coursing through her purple orbs. Just like the lightning…

"You are the biggest idiot here!" Her voice was, low and scathing. "For days, Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, has been worried about you. All they talk about is how much they respect you. I have learned that not only do you take time out of your schedule to help anyone who asks, you bend over backwards to assist them. You are called fair and kind, but cold. An excellent teacher, one who makes sure everyone understands the subject. That you work hard, very hard, and set an excellent example to others.

"Not ONCE did I hear that anyone thought you were the bad guy. NOT ONE, Toushirou! Now, can you get your head out of your ass and realize a lot of people care about you? That it is ok to be cared about?"

I sat forward, causing her to rock back onto her heels. "Idiot!" My voice tempered to my best captain below zero voice. "I cannot believe a girl as smart as you doesn't get it. But being human and ignorant of all things Shinigami, I'll give you a clue. Aizen was nice, and kind and gentle. People loved him. I respected him and considered him a friend. Himamori, as the man's lieutenant, worshiped the ground he walked upon.

"And yet, he betrayed us. The same man we 'liked' and 'cared' about. He stabbed Himamori, nearly killed me, and tried to have Rukia executed. Now, he's planning to wipe hundreds of thousands of souls away forever for the sake of power.

"So no, I don't understand. After those lieutenants, Kira and Hisagi, saw that their own captains joined in Aizen's defection, how can they trust me after the stunt I just pulled? I wouldn't, its blind trust."

I flopped back on the mattress, my anger spent. I covered my hands with my face, watching her from between my fingers. "I just don't get it. And it is hard to accept considering what just happened a few months ago."

Karin was silent for a few minutes. She jumped down off the bed and removed my lunch tray. I thought I had angered her and she was just going to leave. But she sat it down and came back to the bed. She carefully removed one of my hands from my face, holding it. She looked sad. Damn! I shouldn't have yelled at her. It wasn't her fault. I was about to apologize when she spoke in low tones.

"Toushirou. You don't get it at all. It's not blind trust; it's knowing the person from their actions. Yours prove you are deserving of their trust. Their loyalty. You are willing to go above and beyond so many times for them; they are willing to forgive a little mistake on your part.

"I have no clue about this Aizen guy, but you say that he was nice and kind? Did any of his actions actually display that? Were they that pure? Or were they greedy? While they call you 'Captain Grumpy pants,' and cold, I have not heard one person said you were greedy. In fact they say the opposite. I know you have a good heart and you are not selfish. Why can't you see yourself the same way? You are worthy of being liked and loved and respected. They want to, but you won't let them. Why?"

She just stared at me. Looking sad. Not pity, just sad for me. I know my jaw was hanging open. I was in shock. Maybe that was the missing thing. Maybe, I should receive what they say I give out. That it's ok. This from an 11 year old. Where does she get such profound words? How does she know me better than I know myself?

Before I could reply, the door opened. Karin dropped my hand in surprise as Matsumoto came through the door with paperwork and writing materials.

She grinned and winked at me. "Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt my Captain's hand holding time with his little girlfriend!"

Karin blushed fiercely, red touching the tips of her ears as she mumbled denials.

I, on the other hand, sat up straight, instantly infuriated. My forehead was throbbing as Matsumoto giggled, "Oh don't worry, captain. I won't tell a _soul_."

Like hell she won't. This little tidbit of my life will make it to the Gatekeepers by midnight. Karin gasped, running out of the room. "Damnit Matsumoto!" I sputtered as she flopped down in a chair and pulled it up to the bed.

"You two are so cute!"

"If one word gets out, if I hear of a hint of a possibility of it being spoken, I will personally bind you to your desk and pour every drop of sake I find, including the bunch in the rafters of the third barracks, down the sink." Oh, a gasp. She didn't think I knew about that hiding spot?

"Ooh Captain! You're so mean!"

"Don't push me on this Matsumoto!"

"Fine, Fine. Here's your paperwork."

I took the supplies and my lap desk from her, glaring at her the whole time, pushing the point across, I hoped. We soon let the mundane dreariness of paperwork leech out my frustrations and her mischievousness.

XXX

The next day, I was given release from the 4th division with cautions of not shunpo'ing too fast or too long. My vision was still not clear, but knowing I wasn't going to be in a conflict anytime soon, I did not inform Captain Unohana of that. It will clear, as it has in the past, in a few days, so I wasn't worried.

But I was worried about returning to my division. As I arrived at the doorway, I swallowed, my nervousness catching up to me. Matsumoto informed me during our surprisingly productive paperwork session what the squad endured while I was chasing Kusaka around.

My guilt at my irresponsibility hit full force as the guards opened the door and announced that the Captain, Squad 10 was arriving. I knew that Matsumoto did what I asked her to do, so as I passed the squad's meditation gardens and headed towards the inspection grounds, I knew that the entire squadron was lined up in formation.

They stood there in silence as I approached them. My mind temporary going in to Captain mode, started to inspect the various small units within the division. But, being my squad, they were all in proper gear and sober, even Matsumoto, who fell in behind me.

I was proud of them. I wondered if I ever told them that. Perhaps I should tell them now, if this was going to be my last day as their captain. Finally I went to stand in front of the disciplined troops, my hands clasped behind my back. I paused, gathering my thoughts. I was a little more prepared in this apology, than the last.

"Squad 10," my voice carried all the way to the furthest member. "These last few days have been trying for you. Testing your faith, your loyalty, and your honor. You have been accused of treason, falsely, and had to surrender your Zanpakutos.

"At a time when war is about to fall, things like loyalty and honor should be unquestioned, especially about the superiors, the ones who will lead you into battle and have your lives in their hands. All of these things, loyalty, honor faith, should be unquestioned if your superior was doing his job."

I took a deep breath. Now for the rough stuff. "Which yours was not. He forgot, for a moment, his duty, his commitment, his promise to lead you, for a foolish quest that, yes, needed to be completed, but probably not the way he did it. He left behind confused and guiltless suboardates to take the blame in his stead.

"He was, in effect, an idiot. And this idiot most humbly apologizes for his behavior." I bowed my upper body parallel to the ground. "I am sorry."

Silence. Then again, they are well trained not to speak in formation. After a few moments, I stood up straight. "Tomorrow may be a day of great changes for this squad. I ask all of you to be patient and remember your duties if…" I took a deep shuttering breath and steeled myself. "If the haori is removed from my person.

"Otherwise, unless you have watch today, the squadron is dismissed."

"Squadron, dismissed!" Matsumoto bellowed.

No one moved. The seated officers in front of each unit looked at each other in some silent communication. Then, starting with the 3rd seat's group, the marched up to me in formation.

Akame Nishii, my 3rd seat lead her group right up to me. She stopped, facing me. Then, they all bowed. "Welcome back sir," she said. "I-we look forward to serving under you for years to come!" And with another bow, she dismissed her unit and they dispersed.

Rangiku gasped. I looked at her. She was just as surprised as I was. But we watched, in slack jawed amazement as the rest of the companies more or less copied Nishii. I stood there long after the last squad member left. To say I was shocked was an understatement.

"I didn't know…I mean, I didn't expect…" Matsumoto swallowed audibly. Amazement was written all over her face.

"Tch. It was a silly gesture," I said, trying to recover from the situation. "They have no say on what happens tomorrow.

"Silly captain? Do you truly believe that?" 

I let a huff of air out as I faced an amused Matsumoto. "Fine, it was nice to have them back me, but it was not needed."

She laughed softly and shook her head. "Oh, Captain."

"Fine then, don't believe me, and see if I care. I am going to my quarters. This day is already tiring."

And tomorrow would be horrible.

XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX

I made an attempt to throw some military structure into the story.

Please read and review!

And a note from my Beta: Fuzzy speak is much easier for me to edit :P. Your characters should get hit on the head more often.


	10. Captains' Meeting

"What Best Friends are for."

A Bleach Fan Fiction.

Written by trekkiexb5.

Hitsugaya/K. Kurosaki friendship. Rated T for language.

DISCLAIMER: If Bleach was mine…Honestly, I wouldn't know what to do.

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Here you go, Ryfee. Your Kuchiki moment. I have an idea for a better one, but that's another story…

FYI: Seiza is a formal way of sitting in Japan.

CHAPTER 9:

CAPTAIN'S MEETING

I watched the dawn break over the Seireitei from my roof. I couldn't sleep. I couldn't keep my dinner down, either. I knew this would happen, but knowing it and living it are two different things. I wish I could take back the last two weeks. I wish…

I slipped off my roof to get a shower. I skipped breakfast. Most likely it would join dinner in the sewers, after being partially digested. My stomach was rolling in fear.

At my front door I quietly put on my waraji and picked up my Haori. Orders were to bring it, not wear it. I sighed and carefully folded the heavy white clothing. Standing up, I took one more look at myself in the mirror. Lack of sleep showed. I looked haggard, paler than normal, with black circles around my eyes. I could feel a dull throbbing pain in my bones.

Well, my uniform was perfect. Deep breaths Toushirou. I stepped out into the quarter angle that is Division 10's senior officer quarters. I saw Matsumoto exiting from her much smaller lieutenant's quarters on my left.

Time to face the music, as the humans say.

We shunpo'd to Division One, at the centre of the Seireitei. We arrived early to the Captains' Meeting Hall, only to find it shut. The meeting was in session. So we went to the courtyard and I sat down in one of the benches situated amongst the edge. I flared my reiatsu for a moment, so they would know I had arrived.

I saw Ichigo and Karin walking across the courtyard towards us. I sighed. I wasn't in the mood for company. I just looked down, staring forlornly at my Haori. I felt naked without it.

"Yo, Toushirou!" The very chipper Ichigo hailed.

"It's not Tous…nevermind. Just shut up. I am not in the mood."

"Man you are grouchy…"

"I said SHUT UP!" My shout startled the pair as I glared at them. Damnit! "Look, I am sorry but I am not in them mood for a Kurosaki pep talk. Not a word out of you, Matsumoto!" Experience told me that she was about to open her big mouth. "Just, all of you leave me alone…please." I sighed. "Just leave me…" I tapered off; my shoulders slumped as my energy was suddenly spent.

It was a useless argument. They would not leave me alone to my black mood, nor would they shut up.

"I give up," I whispered. "It doesn't matter anymore."

They were silent, for once. A few moments later, Karin sat down next to me, and caught my wrist. Her thumb lightly rubbing a small scar on the back of my hand. A shadow on the other side indicating Ichigo sat down on the bench, his hand coming up to grasp my shoulder, giving it a slight squeeze. I felt Rangiku sitting on the back of the backless bench, her hand lightly rubbing my back in a circular motion.

I just stared at the '10' on my folded Haori, my hands shaking. My Haori, I worked so hard… I felt my throat tightened, my vision going blurry. Damn those Kurosakis. Damn you, Rangiku! Damn me! Why did I… I will NOT cry. I will not cry. I'm a captain… "I will not cry," I bit my bottom lip as I accidently whispered it out loud. I felt the first drops leak out, turning into delicate snowflakes and falling onto the garment.

I am so, so stupid. I deserve to lose this. Never have I felt so worthless as I did now.

"Captain Hitsugaya?" I looked up into the face of Squad One's lieutenant, Chojirou Sasakibe. "Ichigo and Karin Kurosaki, the Head Captain is ready to see you now."

I blinked to clear my eyes and coughed to clear my throat. "Thank you, Lieutenant." I answered, standing.

He nodded. "Lieutenant Matsumoto. Please stay here." She affirmed that she would. "Captain? Ichigo and Karin Kurosaki, This way please, and oh, Captain?"

"Yes?"

"I am sorry sir, but I am required to take the Haori from you."

"Oh, yes, of course." I handed him my Haori. Damn. My stomach was in knots. Suddenly, I wanted to run away. But that's what got me in trouble in the first place.

We walked in silence behind him to the large doors. Inside, the captains stood on either side, spaces left for the captaincies that were abandoned by the traitors.

And for me.

This place was very intimidating, and was designed to be so. But in the last 20+ years, I was used to being one of the intimidators, not the one in hot seat. I now know for a fact, it does work. Worst of all, at the end of the room, was the most terrifying man that I knew of. But there he sat, resting on his cane and his beard braided, looking like for all the worlds, someone's grandfather; the Head Captain.

Then the doors shut behind us with a thick muffled boom; sealing my fate. Nowhere to run now.

Matsumoto was probably sitting here just a few days ago. Doing my job. Eat the humble pie you deserve Toushirou. I watched as Sasakibe approached the Head Captain and handed him my haori. Then he gestured at me. Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward, stopping just before Ukitake, and knelt on the ground seiza style. I bowed as I announced, "Cap…Toushirou Hitsugaya reporting as ordered, sir."

I felt, rather than heard Karin mimicking my movements beside me. Ichigo, of course, bows for no one.

The silence was deafening. I was staring at the floor that I tread so many times before as an equal.

"Toushirou Hitsugaya." I sat up, praying that my face was expressionless and looked to the Head Captain. I grasped the sides of my uniform to vainly stop my trembling hands. Damnit! I will not cry and carry on like a child here, in front of these people! I will not!

"Please approach, Hitsugaya."

"Sir!" I stood up; glad that at least my voice was steady. I walked forward until I stood in front of him. I think it is more frightening to stand here than at the back of the room. I was, frankly, terrified of the words that he would say.

"Do you understand why you are here, Hitsugaya?" The Head Captain's voice boomed.

"Yes, sir."

"Please explain why you are here, then, to your fellow captains."

"I…I abandoned my post, disregarded procedures, deliberately hid my reiatsu, attacked and injured members of the Gotei 13, as well as not assisting the substitute Shinigami when he was injured."

"The Head Captain's eyebrow arched. "Not treason and kidnapping of a human and involving said human in the affairs of the Seireitei?"

"No sir," Of that I was very sure of. "It was not my intention to betray the Gotei 13. I was chasing Kusaka with the intent to retrieve the Ouin. I was never in league with him; I just wanted to finish that duel…" I coughed. "As for the human in question, she is Kurosaki, so blackmailing me was well within her capacity, despite being so young."

There was chuckling from behind me, with a chorus of "What?" from the siblings. It eased the tension a little, though it didn't come out the way I wanted. She was not on trial here, I was. They just wanted to speak to her, and maybe use me as an example on not to piss the Gotei 13 off.

Which means nothing but bad things for me.

"Hmmmm..." The Head Captain spoke, instantly silencing the room. "I will give you the fact the human girl coerced you, her brother his headstrong so this, we can say, runs in the family. However, this does not explain how you did not mention meeting a high reiatsu child before in any of your reports, nor when you found out she was Ichigo Kurosaki's sister, inform him that his sister could pose a danger."

"Yes sir, I have amended my original reports to reflect that meeting. My reasoning of refraining from mentioning Karin in my original reports is quite frankly she did not constitute a person of interest at the time. It should be expected with Ichigo Kurosaki's blaring of reiatsu, that his whole family would develop Shinigami powers eventually. This was discussed in an earlier Captain's Meeting, sir."

"True, True. Why did you continue to meet with her after you have found out her name and completed your initial report? You did say she, unlike her brother, had control of her spiritual pressure and was not putting herself into harm because of it?"

"Sir…I…" I paused. Oh boy. I really could not explain a few one-on-one soccer games and ice cream afterword. She had questions, and while I did not, at the time, tell her very much about our world, I gave her enough to be satisfied that her brother was safe, relatively speaking. For me, it was far better company than the idiots I had under my command at the time. She was quiet, peaceful…ok I like spending time with her.

I cleared my throat. "I…uhm…well, she was enjoyable company. I liked talking to her, sir." I said in a rush, but continued. "It did not interfere with my duties or my mission. Also, someone sensitive to reiatsu, I often ran into her when low level hollows appeared."

I heard Shunshei giggle. Damn that man!

"She was hunting hollows?" Komamura spoke?

"I did not know at the time, but yes she was. This is also in my amended report. She would channel reiatsu into her soccer balls and smashed low level hollows' masks. I assume that with her brother 'training' she took over his duties." I heard the siblings arguing quietly in the back. Sorry Karin. I cannot hide you anymore. I spoke a little louder to be heard. "Although, as it has been said, she is not as reckless as her brother, nor does she bleed reiatsu everywhere." I noted with grim satisfaction that the argument got louder.

"Silence!" The Head Captain commanded. "I have read the amended report. I believe we can drop the kidnapping and involvement charges. Now for the treason. What say you, Toushirou Hitsugaya?"

I took several breaths before speaking. My fear, that was cooling a few moments ago, had returned in full force. "Sir, my intent was not to commit treason. I was settling an old debt. I had no idea who or what had attacked the convoy beforehand. Only when I was stabbed," which still hurts despite finally being healed. "The resonance between the two zanpakutos gave me my first clue as to who it most likely was. I pursued the thief, intent on returning the Ouin, and getting answers for myself.

"I was hoping it would be over quickly. But I believe the wound was, 'poisoned?'" I looked behind me at Captain Unodana who gave me a slight nod. I returned my attention to the Head Captain. "Yes, uhm only after my initial chase and subsequent shielding of my reiatsu, did I realized what my actions would look like in the eyes of the Gotei 13."

I paused, sighing. "I had to choose: turn myself in before it was blown out of proportion or continue the pursuit. I foolishly believed it was my personal fight, as so I chose poorly. Kusaka somehow knew I would react this way. His whole scheme was built around it. My…" I wasn't going to say childish. "Impulsive behavior has caused great harm to the Seireitei, but that was not what I intended or wanted."

"So, you have us believe that you chased this guy Kusaka for a personal grudge, not realizing the damage he could inflict? You were fully briefed for the guard duty assignment and knew that the Ouin was powerful. I find it hard to believe such…nonsense coming from a so called child prodigy? How do you expect us to swallow that?"

Soifon's tongue lashing angered me. But I bit back my ire and kept my voice even. "I was not briefed on how powerful the Ouin was, or it capabilities. As far as it was concerned, it could been a child's toy. I simply saw someone I knew for a fact was dead stealing it, and I wanted to finish something we never got a chance to finish."

"Finish what? Your childish duel? The fact you are immature enough to recognize and then ignore infantile behaviour in another. Or was it the illusion that you were doing something important. None of which you have proof to back your claims. Whatever the case you acted your age, not your rank. Not only do you not deserver the Haori, you do not deserve the uniform. Low ranking shinigami behave better, and you are expected to lead them? You should be thrown into the Maggot's Nest and forgotten! You…"

"Quiet, Captain Soifon." The head Captain's sonorous tone broke through her rant. "She does have a point. All we have are your words on the matter. Why should we believe you? After all, the last child protégé caused much more havoc with his words."

He was talking about Gin Ichimaru. I broke all his records at the academy and as a captain. Outside Ichigo, I had the fastest Shikai to Bankai, 28 months. I finished the academy in one year and went straight into the ranks as a 7th Seat. We were both smart, too smart. I understood what it was liked to be envied, feared and loathed and I hated it. I do not know about him. I think he liked being that way, the outsider, the outcast. He channeled his energy into a gilded tongue and a plot to destroy the Gotei 13. I, on the other hand, wanted to help, even those who hated me. I channeled my abilities into my job, and worked hard to improve and defend the Soul Society.

I was also honest, lying never came easy. I remember what Karin said in my hospital room. "Sir. All I have as proof is my words and my actions. It is up to you to decide if I am another Gin Ichimaru. I cannot convince you through persuasive words. I never learned that ability. So, yes, all I have is what I told you and what I did."

Silence. Thick and weighty. While I knew execution wasn't going to happen, there are variety of other ways I could be punished. 1,000 years in the Maggot's Nest, for example. I knew I'd be a popular inmate in more ways than one. Honestly, I wouldn't last ten years. I knew it.

"Toushirou Hitsugaya, it is because of your actions that you were not thrown into the punishment cell or executed." The Head Captain's voice pulled through my panic of the Maggot's Nest scenario. "Nor, is it in the views of your peers, here today, that we believe that you are a traitor." I took a large, shuddering breath. "However, there are crimes that need to be addressed. How we address them, is up to you.

"Everyone here is not perfect, we all have flaws. We have all done foolish actions in the past. You, seem to try to ignore the fact you have several major flaws, and you, along with the Seireitei nearly paid the price for ignorance." He was silent. I however, was scrambling for what he meant. "In those flaws, these Captains and I failed you by allowing you to continue to not to address them."

What the hell was he talking about?

'So, you have a choice: you will deal with them at your own pace, or you will address them now."

Flaws. I have lots of them. My mind was whirling to match up my flaws with the Ouin situation. "Sir, flaws; like I am impulsive? Is that one?"

That didn't sound right. My confusion, and quite frankly, my panic must have shown on my face, for the head captain sighed and said, "Ukitake, if you will…"

I whirled to see Juushirou Ukitake come up to face me. I looked up at him. He had a gentle smile. He was always gentle and kind to me. Never sure if it was the similar names, the hair colour which we both share or the fact he was a kind soul. Most likely all three. He knelt down, so he was at eye level with me and clasped my shoulder.

"Toushirou, look. You are an amazing person. You have accomplished so much in a short amount of time. You have carried out your duties to the best of your ability, and your subordinates respect you. We all watched you exceed our expectations time and time again. Perhaps that is why we failed to notice that you were starting to fall."

Fall? Fail? What? The thing about grown ups I hate the most is the fact they cannot seem to speak plainly. "Fall? I don't understand?"

"Well, you grew up before you have grown up. We believe you missed some vital steps along the way. Now, it is starting to show."

Ok, very confused. "Like what? And what's showing?"

He chuckled. "Most of us don't comprehend your childhood, as short as it was. Most of us still don't understand why you were in a rush to become captain. Regardless, along the way, the life lessons we got from growing up you missed."

"Lessons?" Grr… Damn! Just say it!

"Like making friends, having fun. Figuring out who you are."

Those are lessons? I know who I am! "What?"

Ukitake shook his head. "Not getting it, are you? Look at the young lady there," he said, pointing at Karin. "I'd bet she has lots of friends. I would also guess she has lots of fun with them. There are places and things that are important to her. She probably also has goals. And while very mature behaving for her age; she is in no hurry to be an adult." I looked over his shoulder to see Karin nodding.

"So," he continued as I looked back at him. "Where does this leave you?"

"Ok, you are mad that I am a captain at my age, or I am not capable of being a captain or I should stop being a captain all together? Just say it, please Juushirou! I am not comprehending you!" I was frustrated and scared. This whole conversation had tilted so bad that I couldn't follow along.

"Very well," I looked up at Byakuya Kuchiki, stepping out of the line to look at me. "Here are my observations: My squad inspected your quarters as a part of the investigation of your alleged treason. We also spoke to the Squad 4 members who regularly clean it. They said out side laundry, your house was spotless. Immaculate. In fact, many of the unseated members of Squad 4 squabble over who cleans your house, for it is the easiest and quickest house to clean, even over mine which I don't even uliltzed except on duty days."

"So…I like my stuff neat and orderly, I don't get it."

A snigger behind Kuchiki and a comment from my personal peanut gallery: Karin. "Anal retentive syndrome…" He brother started to giggle too. Then the captains started to laugh.

I was beet red, I know. "Shut up!" I yelled. "Because I clean my own house doesn't make me anal retentive!"

Kuchiki coughed and the laughter died down. "Your office, outside Lieutenant Matsumoto's area is neat, though worn. Likewise with your home. You tend to keep things until they are worn out and beyond repair.

"You have few personal items outside clothing, most were practical. The ones that were not consisted of a few scarves and a couple of kimonos, all of which were given as gifts. The bookshelves are filled with required reading for officers. There were no novels, fiction or non fiction. No magazines, or other reading material, outside a cookbook.

"You have a modern, if worn, dining and living room set, probably the previous tenants, which adds to the theory you don't like to throw things out. The only personal things that I found in both the office and the house was a platform bed, well made, which was purchased by you in the first year of your captaincy. Also, Three patchwork blankets, one on said bed, and the others on the couches in your office and living room.

"The cupboards are filled with mismatched dishes, again probably left over from previous tenants. Food was pretty standard, though you are on good terms with a watermelon grower in the West Rukon district. There was a package of amanatto from the World of the Living, half eaten. Oh, and sake, but I suspect that is your lieutenant's and not yours.

"And for decorations, you have a go, shoji and chess set, all of which haven't been used in a long time, according to the dust in the back of the closet of the spare bedroom. In the back of one of your drawers there is a worn wooden top. And in the office, there is a beautiful vase with a blue Chinese style dragon sitting behind your desk in the window. I'd describe your décor as sparse, or more accurately, non-existent.

"What does all this mean, you are thinking? Why is this important?" He glared at me, unblinking. "It means, boy, what do you do? What do you do when you are not a captain?"

I was rattled. I was angry. Of all of them, how dare HE tell me how to live my life? "What do you do, Byakuya? Besides being so all arrogant and noble? What do you do, besides stopping your sister from becoming anything of note in her squad?" Ukitake's eyes widened as he rocked back onto his heels. A 'boy,' eh? "She should be a seated officer. Maybe even a lieutenant, the kami know that Juushirou needs one and stop mourning Shiba." At this point I knew I was being disrespectful and lashing out, but by the gods, I was so, so tired of this. "So Byakuya Kuchiki, what do YOU do?"

The man never flickered an inch during my rant. His voice was arrogant and in control when he answered me. "I read historical novels, I tend a garden, I pray to my ancestors, particularly my dead wife and grandfather. I do calligraphy. I personally buy rare wines from the Rukon districts and habitually check them. And no, I do not use servants for any of that, so you can put your noble prejudice to rest, boy."

He continued gesturing to people as he was speaking about them. "Ukitake tries to garden, but habitually kills his bonsai. His fish ponds are often rearranged by him. Komamura collects dog figurines and cares for and trains a dog as a pet. Unodana does flower arranging. Zaraki has books upon books he makes; filled with Yuchiro's drawings. He often spends time with his division, not just in training. Many of the lieutenants, including yours and mine get together and do things together, not just drinking.

"Renji whittles, Rukia collects Chappy memorabilia, Himamori draws, Hisagi plays the guitar…The list can go on but my point is; what does Captain Toushirou Hitsugaya do when he isn't being Captain Toushirou Hitsugaya? He stepped back in line, his gaze never wavering on me.

"Well?" I spun around to face the Head Captain. "What do you do?" He asked.

"I…" Shocked, I couldn't even think of anything.

"Heh, you are missing the best parts of your life, Toushirou." That was Kyouraku. I just stared at the wall over the Head Captain's shoulders. "No real friends and no life. All work and no play makes 'Shirou a dull boy." A general nervous giggle at my expense echoed in the room.

"So? I don't have anything but work. So if I took up knitting or tossed a couple shots back once in a while I would not be in this predicament? That's not even logical."

There were several exasperating sighs from the room. I turned back to the captains. "Look, I seriously don't get it. What does a lack of hobbies have to do with Kusaka? What is me working all the time have to do with anything?" I was angry, so very angry. "I have to work; sometimes twice as hard…as…you…" I faltered. I shouldn't have said that. Damn.

"Exactly," Juushirou said. "You work hard, harder than many of us. But you still don't understand. Look, if I was in your shoes, and Kusaka was my friend from the academy days, how do you think I would react?" He asked me.

I didn't have to think about it. "You would tell Kyouraku."

"Exactly. Everyone in this room would have told someone they trusted," He smiled. "Even Mayuri and Soifon, They have a lot of trust in their lieutenants. They would have communicated. Some better than others, granted, but the end result would not have been that person standing here defending themselves and the right to keep their haori.

"You are capable of making friends, you did with Kusaka. Why haven't you made any since then? Himamori doesn't count; while you tell her things to help HER, you rarely tell her things that you need to air. This goes for Matsumoto. Relationships help ease the pain of command and also provide a sounding board for moral choices. I wonder how much different it would have been if you just told Lieutenant Matsumoto at the beginning what you were doing and why."

A lot different. "And the hobbies? I am still confused about that." I asked, quietly. I was comprehending them now.

Ukitake opened his mouth to speak but it was interrupted. We both looked at Kenpachi. "Kid, hell I'm confused. We have been droning on for days about you and this and it's cuttin' into my fightin' time. So I'll tell you what, here's the straight answer. You should not have been accepted as a captain cuz you are too young and too absorbed in the job.

"No friends? Hell even I have friends. I don't even fight all the time, as surprising as that sounds. As much as I cannot wait for the next challenge, I don't sit around and dwell on it. I do stuff, either by myself or with others. Hell, I even do my paperwork sometimes!"

He paused, giving me that one-eyed crazed berserker grin of his. "Personally, I'd say you need to get your head out of your ass. If all I did was paperwork and training all day everyday, all I would do is wear myself down. I'd make myself weak and would be easily defeated. Even I know that. So, old man, let's get this show on the road. I am tired of the gabfest. If the kid doesn't get it now, he'll never get it. And we will have front row seats to his self-destruction."

Self-destruction? I glanced back at Ukitake, who nodded. "He's right, you know" He whispered. "We all thought that was happening, you finally hit the point that you broke down. And it would have been our faults, for we let you be a captain in the first place."

"Very well," The Head Captain replied to Zaraki. Tearing my eyes away from Ukitake's sad ones, I turned to face The Head Captain. "These are your choices: One you can be temporarily demoted."

"Demoted?" I asked. My brain was trying to make some sense out of today and frankly I was buying time.

"You would be removed as Captain of the 13 Court Guard Squads. You would have a seated position within any squad, of course, but you would not be allowed to wear the rank of captain for 20 years. At that time, if you wish, you would retake the capataincy exam, most likely passing easily. You would return as an older and hopefully wiser person. You would not be punished in any way."

"Except for the fact that the entire Seireitei would have knowledge of my demotion. What's the other choice, sir?"

"Take back your haori and accept the punishment befitting a captain, whether it is non-judicial or the Maggot's Nest. Choose wisely, Toushirou Hitsugaya."

I nodded absently as I stood in thought.

Getting demoted. The concept was so alien and wrong. But the perks…well, little to no stress, no worries about my future; for captainacy was assured, maybe actual time off. To do what, I wondered. Maybe time off to find out what I wanted to do.

I imagined myself as a lieutenant, which I never was, maybe in Ukitake's squad. The 3rd seats were pretty good with the paperwork. The 13th tend to watch the human world, so extended time there. Maybe to visit Karin, my new friend, my first real friend since Kusaka. Maybe time to figure out what a best friend was all about. Not having to be worried about being caught doing childish things. Maybe…even…making friends with the other lieutenants and seated officers, most of which were closer to my age than the captains.

It would be nice.

The negatives. Everyone would know I was demoted. That I couldn't handle the strain. Would they look at me with pity? OR laugh at me behind my back? Or openingly? Would I spend all my time worrying about that? Yes, yes I would.

The captain option was power and all the responsibility that comes with it. There are freedoms, but the idea that captains had the luxury of doing whatever they wanted whenever they wanted is largely a myth. Not even getting into the fact I had a punishment waiting, whatever that may be, I had to accept that being a captain was stressful and difficult. But I knew that already.

I choose to take the captain's exam. Looking back, it was just another challenge to overcome. I had no clue that within months of that exam, I was offered the position of Captain of the 10th squadron. I thought I was too young. They thought I could do it. But it was my choice. I wasn't coerced or forced or ordered. It was explained what my duties and responsibilities of wearing a haori were and I accepted. No, I gave an oath.

For me, the choice was clear.

I stood up straight and faced the Head Captain straight on. I looked the Old Man in the eye and gave him my answer. "Sir, I respectfully ask to remain as a captain, whether it would be for the next five minutes or 5,000 years. My reasoning is simple; I swore an oath on my blood and on my life that I would protect and defend the Soul Society and help keep balance between the worlds. Within the Captain's Oath, it says I must be fair and be an example to others. It also says I must defend the laws of the Seireitei.

"Sir, what kind of example would I be, if I took the easy way out? What kind of example would the Gotei 13 be if they allowed me to take the easy way out?"

I took a deep breath. "Sir, the day I first stood here as a Captain and took that oath, you told me it would be more difficult for me to be a captain than most. And that was saying a lot because being a captain is difficult in itself. I may have been naive and ignorant of how difficult it really was then, but I know now. But, I made a promise, swore an oath and by the gods themselves, I will try my damnest not to foreswore myself.

"Finally, I love my job. Truly. You all may see a workaholic but I actually enjoy my job. Despite my lieutenant slacking sometimes, or being set up with some truly idiotic teams, I really enjoy the people and the work. I enjoy teaching my squadron how to become better and I enjoy knowing I helped make a difference in the worlds. Maybe I do enjoy the job too much. I suppose I will have to work on that, but I cannot imagine doing anything else now, but being a captain."

I coughed, my mouth a little dry from my speech. I bowed to the Head-Captain. "So sir, respectfully, may I have my haori back?" I stood up straight. I was proud of what I have become; I was not going to let them take it away.

I heard Captain Ukitake stand up, sighing. "I was hoping you'd be my lieutenant."

I smirked. "If you wanted that, you should have just demoted me." He gave my shoulder a squeeze and walked away, most likely to his spot.

Head Captain Yamamoto was silent, his piercing eyes opened and boring into me. "Hmmm. Very well, Captain Hitsugaya. Come and receive your Haori."

Lieutenant Sasakibe handed the haori back to me. My knees nearly buckled over at the relief of having it back. I quickly removed Hyorinmaru and the sash, put on the still stained cloth, and replaced my Zanpakuto. I bowed again to the Head Captain. "I am ready to accept my punishment, sir."


	11. Answers

"What Best Friends are for."

A Bleach Fan Fiction.

Written by trekkiexb5.

Hitsugaya/K. Kurosaki friendship. Rated T for language.

DISCLAIMER: If Bleach was mine...but it isn't…damnit!

CHAPTER 10:

ANSWERS

I hate silence.

I hate the weight, the feel of it.

I despise the fact it tells you little and gives you nothing.

The stretch of silence that the Head Captain Yamamoto is issuing is the worse.

Say something, already!

Silence.

"Hmm," He murmured. Silence again. Damn this! But, I stood there, like a good little captain, trying to keep my trembling down and the screams inside my head. I stared at the Old Man, wishing he would speak real words.

Tell me my fate, Old Man!

"Captain Toushirou Hitsugaya, you have forgotten your responsibilities to settle a juvenile grudge, it is time we remind you of such duties."

Deities…he spoke!

"I have decided the worse crime you committed was the attack and injuring two squadron lieutenants; two squadrons that were already weakened by the traitors. This action alone affected our already precarious numbers. We cannot afford such weakness when we are on the edge of war. You punishment is this: You will be in charge of Squads 9 and 3 as well as your own squad. You will do the paperwork, as well as standing the watches as their captain and as part of each squad. You have authorization as temporary captain. You will train the demoralized squadrons and you will motivate them. Do not neglect your own squad. In one month, they must be ready for battle, for in two months we go to war. Do you accept this punishment, Captain Hitsugaya?"

Do I have a choice? "Yes, sir!"

"Very well, take your place among the Thirteen. Your punishment will start in three days, as that is Squad 3's patrol day."

I respectfully bowed and returned to the spot between Kurotsuchi and Kyouraku. My head was whirling, automatically, I went into organization mode. I don't think the Head Captain knows that I basically took over Squad 5. Maybe with Momo back…I have a bad feeling. It's best to watch that squadron. Adding the duty days, captain duty days for 3 squadrons plus squad 5's…

Shit. I'm not going to sleep for a month.

"Now, to discuss this affair." He continued, rustling me out of my panic mode. "Captain Hitsugaya, you inferred in your reports that this could be connected to Aizen."

"Yes, sir." My voice was steady again. I was still shaking, a little, but I think it was due to lack of food. Or joy. I was so relieved to be a captain again that the Old Man could order me to dance with a hollow and I would agree. "Kusaka said several things that he could not know of. I believe he was set up as a distraction that almost worked."

"Whatdaya mean, a distraction? Why would Aizen do that? Wouldn't he want the Ouin himself?" Ichigo asked.

"The few months I was in the World of the Living, Aizen sent many of his troops, including several high level ones, in maneuvers either to rid himself of rebellious factions or seeking information. This falls into his _modus operandi _of behaviour. Plans within plans to make sure it would be to his advantage in some way if the worst did happen. If Kusaka was successful, then Aizen would have extra power. If Kusaka was able to influence me, he would have another captain to his faction. If it failed, which it did, Aizen, via Kusaka, would sow chaos within the Soul Society." I sighed. Well, each bite of humble pie was getting easier to swallow. "And due to my actions, it did weaken Gotei 13. So Aizen got something that he wanted out of the situation."

"Indeed," The Head Captain spoke. "This is why the punishment on Captain Hitsugaya was so lenient," Lenient? Well, compared to the Maggot's Nest, I suppose. "We cannot afford to weaken our forces any further. As soon as we understood that Captain Hitsugaya wasn't a traitor, we agreed that he should get a lesser punishment."

Okay. Right. Translation: All the captains browbeat you to accepting a lesser punishment for me. The word lenient is against the Old Man's religion. Regardless, I was a loyal pawn for the war, why waste such a powerful asset?

I wonder if being bitter is part of growing up?

"So he found Kusaka in Hueco Mundo and said 'hey, what the hell, let's screw with the midget's head, he might bring him to the dark side, if not, it will be fun to watch!'" Ichigo said in an exasperated tone. "Is Aizen that messed up?"

There was silence. I forgot (and I think many of the captains did) that he really never met Aizen. Heck, he didn't really meet me until after Aizen left and we were in medical in rooms across from each other. "Kurosaki, the man got his lieutenant to fall in love with him, choosing her out of the academy almost 50 years ago. He played with her mind even after we thought he was murdered and nearly killed her when he was done with her. She was…my sister, lack of a better term. I spent more time with Aizen than any captain; I thought I knew him well."

I remember something else that Karin said. "He likes 'playing' with his food. How he killed hollows, how he gave gifts, how he did things for others, how he would tease…everything was for his enjoyment and his betterment." I took a deep breath. "So yeah, this sounds like something he would do. It could be a big coincidence, but this close to war? I think not."

Hold on…what did he call me? "AND, By the way, it's CAPTAIN Hitsugaya, not midget or shorty, or snowy or Toushirou."

A small chuckle in the room broke the tension. Damn that boy! Komamura spoke up after the laughter died down. "I don't understand one thing, how could there be two Hyorinmaru? Are they not supposed to be unique, even his?"

"Yes," I spoke up. "I was always curious about that. Nobody ever answered the question from 45 years ago." I think after all this time, I deserve an answer.

"45 years?" I heard Karin whisper. I glanced over at the Kurosaki siblings, she was tugging on her brother and the question was for him. I suddenly recalled not putting dates on any of my explanations. I smirked. Maybe that would kill the elementary student descriptor. Probably not. Knowing her, she'll use it more than ever now.

"Captain Kurotsuchi, if you will," The Head Captain replied, deferring the explanation to Squad 12's eccentric captain.

"When Captains Ukitake and Kuchiki approached me about the matter, I took the liberty to dig a little further in the Daireisho Archives." His on-the-edge-of-madness voice was grating, but still; I was curious what he dug up. "The reasoning is simple, once you see it! I was so surprised I did not see it myself!" He cackled.

"And that was?" Ichigo prompted.

"Well, every soul has the capacity to become a hollow. We all have a tiny hole in our souls that can activate if the right circumstances are met. Such is the case of Visored, Arracar and Ichigo Kurosaki's _unique_ case." He sounded like he wanted to dissect him. He probably did. "What matters is the placement of that tiny pinprick of a hole that makes the difference." The man, and I use that term loosely, laughed softly.

"What do you mean?" Ichigo was getting irritated, and I don't blame him.

"What I mean is that as long as the tiny hollow hole we have isn't in the same place that our inner worlds are, we all have the ability to manifest both hollow and shinigami powers. Again the Visored are a prime example of this."

"But I see my inner hollow in my inner world like all the time. Zangetzu says they are one and the same. Since the inner world is my Zanpakuto, wouldn't that mean that they are in the same location?" Good question. Ichigo does have some brains.

Kurotsuchi waved his hands and shook his head. "No, no, that's your _perception_ they are actually two distinct geographical locations on your soul. Like your soul chain. They all cannot be in the same place." Ichigo looked confused, scratching his orange hair. I was confused too. "Of course, geographical locations of a soul isn't possible. We are discussing fuzzy logic. While a Plus or a Hollow's chain or hole respectively can be seen on the chest of the being, it isn't actually physically there. We can see what is in a soul, but to map it, alas, we do not have the ability…yet." Dear lord, I'd bet he's working on that. I shuttered at the thought.

"Regardless," he continued. "Very rarely, the hollow hole and the inner world manifest in the same place. Even then, it is not an issue. I am sure there are many souls in the Soul Society walking around that are currently like this." I said a quiet prayer to the deities to protect such people from Kurotsuchi's painted white hands. "No, the problem manifests when such a person has rierkoyu high enough to activate shinigami powers.

"Such souls start instinctually start seeking their inner worlds and Zanpakutos, like we all did. However, the hollow hole, driven by hunger for all that is spiritual, swallows the inner world and the Zanpakuto spirit inside the individual. But the person has taken the journey towards shinigami abilities and has a need to find them. The soul is unconsciously forced to find another to fill the missing inner world, some other's inner world, bigger than theirs. Because its inner world is gone, the soul will 'copy' another's, usually not as correct as the original or as powerful.

"In this case, Kusaka heard his inner hollow, and thought it was his Zanpakuto speaking. When he met Captain Hitsugaya at the academy, with probably the strongest Zanpakuto spirit that the school had seen in a while, probably stronger than any Kusaka had seen, he subconsciencoully chose Hyorinmaru as its Zanpakuto."

"What would happen if he was allowed to live with the copy?" I asked, softly. I needed to know that he needed to die.

"He would eventually suck you and Hyronmaru's Reiroku dry, and then devour your soul, slowly in the attempt to 'fill' that hollow hole in his inner world. I suspect that was the 'poison' that you felt after you were stabbed by him. That would be bad, especially in the case of a Heavenly Guardian. Regardless, he would just move on to the next person, not realizing it was him who killed you. He couldn't become a proper hollow, nor could he be a shinigami. Kusaka was basically a Zanpakuto vampire, or a leech, if you prefer."

The room was silent. I thought about his friendship. Was it real? Or was he just trying to get close enough to me for my spiritual pressure. I was conflicted. And confused. "Head Captain," I spoke up after a moment. "Did you know about this?"

"Yes."

"Then, why the duel? I mean you could have easily convinced us of a practice duel at the academy and quietly killed him off later. Why the spectacle?"

The Old Man sighed. "That was Central 46's choice. They needed to see who was the true wielder of Hyorinmaru for themselves, despite the fact that all signs pointed that you were most likely the correct master of the Heavenly Guardian."

"Then why didn't they let me finish the duel? I never understood that! They ordered us to duel then the Punishment Squad killed him after I got one hit in!" My voice rose near the end of my little speech. I was angry. This whole thing would have turned out differently if…

"Captain Hitsugaya!" The Old Man broke my thoughts. He sighed again. "They did not really understand your age until you came to the chambers. You were what, the human equivalent of seven." Karin looked at me, her eyes wide. "Your weapon was taller than you. When they planned it out, your age or size was not a factor. But when they met you, they became concerned that you would not be able to do the task because of that. SO they decided as soon as you demonstrated the true Hyorinmaru powers, in accordance with the ancient manuscripts, the Punishment Squad would complete the task. That way you would not have the blood of your friend on your hands." Even from the back of the room, I could see his eyes open and focused on me. "Even with a Zanpakuto, they still saw an innocent and naive child. They did not wish to corrupt it."

Corrupt it! I wish they were still alive, so I could go a yell at them. Seeing my friend die was just as bad as striking the final blow myself. Then the order to keep the incident quiet wqs given in the chamber, while Kuaka's blood stained the stones. I guess the irony is that their blood now stained the floor of the Central 46 clamber.

Too much blood on that floor. I was getting tired of it. Things need to change.

"Does that answer your question, Captain Hitsugaya, Ichigo Kurosaki?" The Head Captain asked.

Ichigo and I looked at each other. We both shrugged and nodded. The look in his eyes was he agreed with me, things need to change, but this wasn't the time or place, not so close to war. "Yes sir," I spoke up, still looking at Ichigo.

"Very well," The Head Captain replied. "Now for the last piece of business. Karin Kurosaki, please approach."

I tore my eyes off of Ichigo as both of us watched the little girl go up to the Head Captain and gave him a small bow. At least she is polite.

"Yes…uhm, Head Captain?" Her voice was wavering, she's probably nervous as hell. Even when it is pleasant news, facing the Head Captain is still frightening.

"Now, young lady, I need you to explains some things to us. Can you tell me what happened on top of the pillar just before the lightning struck and released you?"

She rocked a little on her heels, her head turned to the side in thought. "Well, I did understand I was being used as bait. Toushirou said he may do that."

"Captain Hitsugaya, is this true?"

"Yes sir," I answered. "It is in the report. I also speculated it didn't matter if I returned her to her home or not. If Ichigo did not demonstrated such power the morning after he found me, they would have used him instead. Karin, to Kusaka and the two Arracar girls, was a softer target."

I could see Karin cross her arms on her chest, "I am NOT soft!" Her mumbles could be heard all the way in the back. I chuckled quietly. She wasn't soft, just not as strong as everyone else.

"Hmmm…very well. Please continue, Karin Kurosaki."

She faced the Head Captain again. "Well, I was really scared. I mean I prepared for this to happen, but it actually happening are two different things. Anyways. I was getting cold and that Kusaka kept muttering to himself. Then…well, it was really weird, so don't laugh ok?"

The Old Man made an affirmative noise.

"Well, this really sound stupid and all, but I heard this voice like thunder."

**Her Zanpakuto** Hyorinmaru rumbled. **Her Zanpakuto spoke to her.**

"What did it say, child?" The Head Captain's voice surprisingly gentle.

"It said that Zang-something and Hyorinmaru couldn't defeat the nameless one with me in the way."

Nameless one? Interesting. I asked Hyorinmaru. He replied that he was overjoyed that she remembered his name. Like it hasn't been said in the last 5 minutes. Stupid dragon goes to mush when a girl remembers his name.

**I merely reflect my master's heart.**

I shoved my retort aside for a later jinzen and focused on Karin's words.

"So I said I couldn't do anything about me being in this cage and at the same time I was feeling really stupid talking to a thundercloud in my head but it said 'we can' but I hadda ask first. So I thought what the heck. Then BOOM!" She jumped with the word, her hands spread wide above her head. "Then the voice said, 'Toushirou is going to grab you, get ready,' and he did and my brother did this explosive thing-ee and…"

The room was laughing. I KNEW why they were laughing…bastards. Even the Head Captain was chuckling.

Karin stamped her tennis shoed foot on the slate tile floor. "I KNEW I shouldn't said anything! Stupid adults!"

"Oh no, we believe you," Captain Unodana spoke through her quiet giggle. "It's the fact you said Toushirou not…" She started giggling uncontrollably again.

I waited for the enviable storm of mockery. Anything I say at this point would be like adding fuel to the fire. I hate them all, bastards.

"I think what Captain Unodana is trying to say is," Kyouraku spoke through his laughter. Karin glared at him. "What she was trying to say is, he INSISTS on being called Captain Hitsugaya, unless you are a captain. Even then, the 'it's Captain Hitsugaya' can be inflicted if he's in a bad mood, which is most of the time. He corrected your brother the first time he said it, but he NEVER corrected you." Kyouraku looked a Karin. I couldn't see his face. I had a clue what he was going to say, though. "So, are you two dating?"

Ok, I KNEW he was going to say something like that. I have had a stressful two weeks. My temper is usually at a simmer at the best of times. BUT, I am usually smart enough not to let it explode at inapproate locations and times. The Captains' Meeting chambers being the prime example not a good place for my righteous ire.

"WE ARE NOT DATING!" I yelled, my face probably red, hands clenched at my sides and my reiatsu bristling. Then I paled. Karin had said it too…at the same time. She even was in the same stance as I was. Dear lords and deities. Oh, no…with this bunch of perverts…

The chuckling became laughter, interspaced with Ichigo's "What the Hell are you doing with my sister?"

**This is most amusing, master. I know you are not dating yet, is this the plan for the future? **Hyorinmaru laughed in my head.

Deities, the damned blade was laughing at me, too! It will be decades before I hear the end of this!

"Well, young lady, you certainally have been an interesting visitor." The Head Captain spoke after the laughter died down. "However, we have a war coming, and you are a high source of rierkoyu for Aizen to focus on. The question is, what to do with you?"

Good question. There is no time to train her, and frankly, I would not want her to go through what her brother went through. While she doesn't beam her spiritual pressure out like a beacon, people like the Espada and Aizen will notice her. Leaving her alone with her family would put her twin and her father in danger.

So yes, what would happen to Karin during the war?

XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX

Toushirou was very lucky…I was very tempted to do the Maggot's Nest scenario. I might, for another story.

I HATE no explanation for the two Hyorinmarus. I was waiting for Kurotsuchi to run his mouth for unneeded exposition on the subject in the movie. Never came. SO I decided to answer that question.

: 


	12. epilogue

"What Best Friends are for."

A Bleach Fan Fiction.

Written by trekkiexb5.

Hitsugaya/K. Kurosaki friendship. Rated T for language.

DISCLAIMER: If Bleach was mine...but it isn't…damnit!

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE IT YET, this is a good time to review the story as a whole. You don't know how much that means to a writer to get reviews.

For Ryfee.

EPILOGUE:

KARIN'S POV

_**Yes, this is Karin's POV. Let's get her perceptive on the situation.**_

I looked at the Head Captain. But I wasn't thinking about what he said, or about what would happen to me during the war. I was thinking like, dear lord, Toushirou is OLD! I wonder how old he is. Regardless, I now regret my line about coming to Earth and being a kid. I feel real stupid about saying it, even though he never mentioned his age.

"Perhaps, have her train with Tessai at Urahara's." I turned from my thoughts to stare at Toushirou. He was so pale earlier. He looks better now but still… "She's good with kido. She could learn the basic healing spells."

"Why healing?" I asked. I didn't feel like healing. I wanted to protect. I wanted to fight.

"Because, young lady, the war will start this December," I took my eyes off Toushirou and looked at the Head Captain again. "We have one Kurosaki running around barely trained, we do not need another. Your brother has to fight, you do not have to." He arched one of those long eyebrows at me. "Trust me, there will be plenty of oppernities to fight in the future, but the best way you can protect your family, rather the non-rierkoyu ones, is not to be near them when the conflict starts."

I still don't like it, but I had to agree that I would like to be trained properly.

"Actually, that is a good idea," The nice lady Doctor Captain Unodana spoke up. "She has some medical training, and that coupled with some kido, would make her a useful first aid healer. We could put her in one of the units that will set up first aid stations. She should be safe and useful at the same time. You would like to be useful, Karin?"

"Yes ma'am, I want to be useful. But why can't I be trained like my brother?"

"No you don't." I turned to see my brother come up and kneel before me. I looked into his chocolate eyes. They were sad, but full of resolve. "You do not want to be trained the way I trained. Look, I know I haven't explained much to you,"

"Like hardly anything!" I was mad. "I have been here a week. A WEEK, Ichigo, and you have explained very little. In fact, you went out of your way to avoid me! I had to ask people I barely know my questions. Then I annoyed Toushirou to death with them when they kept saying 'ask your brother!' I want some answers. Why can't be trained like you, and I why have you been avoiding me?"

I stared back him. Jerk! I watched his expression turned from startled to embarrassed. He'd better be. Still he wouldn't say anything. "How are you such an idiot, Ichigo? Why can't you tell me? It's like not a big secret anymore. You never communicate. And I failed Mind Reading in school. God! Toushirou at his most stubborn isn't this bad."

He didn't like the comparison with Toushirou, He frowned and I felt his reiatsu flare a little as he looked at my friend. Another thing I'll have to beat into Ichigo. He cannot tell me who my friends are. I'll save that lesson for a later date though.

"He doesn't want you do it because he nearly died." That was Toushirou. I looked at my friend, standing with all the other captains, and honestly looking taller than I knew he was, even though he was the shortest one. However, yet another answer from him instead of my brother. It isn't Toushirou's responsibility.

"How do you know, shrimp?" Ichigo retorted, standing up. I felt Toushirou's spiritual pressure fluctuate, and my brother's start to climb.

Toushirou tucked his arms into his sleeves. "Get you reiatsu under control Kurosaki. AND it's Captain Hitsugaya to you. Finally, Urahara told us when we asked. Your mask, that Captain Kuchiki reported during your battle with him, was most curious, so we asked the exiled Urahara. He told us." Toushirou shrugged. "And if you want to fight with me, it will have to be another day. You will be leaving soon. And I will not be there to answer your sister's questions, so I'd suggest you to man up and do your job."

My brother growled, but he calmed down. He sighed as he looked at me. "Look Karin, you don't wanna be trained like me. You don't need to. It is going take awhile to get used to the fact you are like me, a shinigami. I will try to answer as much as I can but even I don't know everything."

I looked at him. "Better. Ok, no training like Ichigo's. I'll do the healing kido thing-ee. For now." I emphasized the last word as I glared at my brother.

"Now that is decided, does that arrangement meet with your approval Ichigo Kurosaki?" The old man said. My brother, standing up next to me with that ridiculous sword on his back, nodded. I glowered, still angry.

"We will make arrangements and make sure she taken care of during the war." He looked at me, his eyes piercing underneath his big droopy eyebrows. "After the war, we will discuss a more, structured, way of training you, Karin Kurosaki."

"Yes, sir." Good. I thought. Maybe I can ask Toushirou to be my teacher. Tessai, whom I've met, is a nice guy, but Urahara creeps me out and then there is Jinta… Wait! With this training, I'll be better than that big mouthed red-head. Maybe it will not be so bad; I can pound Jinta into the ground in my spare time.

"Very well, I think this meeting is adjourned. Ichigo Kurosaki, the gate will be opened on Sokyoku Hill very soon to take you and your sister home. Urahara has taken care of your relatives so there should be no problems when you return. Both of you train hard! War is at our doorstep and it will affect both the humans and the Soul Society!"

"I have a question, before we go, sir. This is for Captain Hitsugaya." It was the man with the pink kimono and hat. I never caught his name, only that Toushirou thought he was a dirty old man. He didn't that old; then again, Toushirou doesn't look…however old he is.

Toushirou look pissed. "Fine." He spat out. Oh, oh. I think Toushirou knows what he is going to ask. And it isn't going to be pleasant.

"Why can she call you Toushirou?" There was some quiet laughter in the room. I was wondering if there was a bomb shelter nearby, because I know Toushirou was about to explode!

Toushirou whirled on the Hat-Captain, grabbed the guy by his haori and pulled him down to his level. "SHE…HAS…EARNED…IT by not being an idiot and being respectful to me." He released the smiling man and murmured something else.

The man grinned. "What was that, again?"

"She's my…" He slapped his hand on his face. I was torn between laughter and concern. I decided just to shut up and watch.

"Girlfriend?"

We both exploded at the same time "NO!"

"Then what?"

"He's my best friend." I spoke up. Toushirou looked up at me, a little surprised.

"Oh, is _that_ what they call it these days in the World of the Living, eh?" The man must be a perv. Laughter broke out and the captains started to leave.

"Let's go before Division One Headquarters is turned into an icebox." Captain Ukitake, the other white haired Captain chuckled as he grabbed Hat-Captain and lead him out. Toushirou just stood there, trembling with anger.

I didn't know how much time I would have before I would have to leave so I ran up to him. "Are you ok?" I asked him, touching his shoulder.

He took a deep breath, then another. "Yeah, just that man pisses me off!"

I laughed. "Yeah, you were right, he is a pervert!"

We stood there in awkward silence for a few moments as the other captains left. My brother was talking to Ukitake, who stopped him just outside the door.

I broke the silence. "Rough day, huh?"

He sighed. He was still trembling. "That's an understatement." He still looked sad.

"Come on; let's go someplace a little less public."

He looked up at me. Slowly he nodded. We walked out of the doors and went to sit at the bench we sat at before the meeting started.

"Ok, spill." I said.

He made a sidelong glance at me, pulling his legs up on the bench and wrapping his arms around his knees. "A lot of stuff happened. I was totally humiliated, which I did deserve I guess. I just worried about the 'self destruction' theory that was brought up." He sighed again, resting his head on his knees. "Am I going to self destruct, Karin?"

"I dunno, but do know you are a workaholic. Man, I bet it is tough being a captain and all, especially with this war thing-ee coming up but, when do get some time off, what do you do?"

"Sleep."

"Sleep?"

"Sleep."

"Okay, why?" Curiosity had hit me hard.

He shrugged. "You will laugh at me."

"So? Probably if it is a silly reason. Who cares, you can laugh at me, old man, when I make silly comments."

He buried his face in his arms. "I do it because I will get taller."

I giggled. "That old wives' tale? It doesn't work you know."

"Yeah, but I am so used to doing that I just don't think about it. I do love my naps though. "He looked at me frowning. "Old man?"

It was my turn to look away. "Well you are like over 45."

He chuckled. "I'm actually 71 years old."

No way. I stared at him; I must have been gaping in shock. "Ok," I finally said. "Then how old is Captain Ukitake?"

"Well over a thousand, maybe two. Never asked. The Head-Captain is older than that, and so is Captain Unodana."

My mind boggled. "Someday, you will have to explain that to me."

He harrumphed and we sat here in silence staring off into the distance. "I'm glad; you said I was your best friend." He finally spoke, quiet. "I wasn't sure if I was still. I mean, I never had a lot of friends, so I'm not sure how to be a best friend. But I am glad you said I was."

"I said that you were and I meant it. I like being with you. I really don't understand why people wouldn't like you. You said you are cold, but you are not. I think gruff would be more accurate. But that's ok. I like you I like your sword Hyorinmaru and I like eating ice cream together. I like watching the sunset together, just sitting quietly. I mean, I dunno who that Himamori girl is but I never saw her at the Division Four headquarters visiting when you were there."

He was still staring at nothing. After a few moments he spoke. "She came, once. She said hi and we talked for a while. She said that she hadn't come by earlier due to division stuff. She said…" He sighed, a mournful sigh. "She said, it was hard to run a division and she could not wait until Captain Aizen came back."

"Isn't he the bad guy?" I was confused.

"Yeah. That's how much she got messed up in the head. I wonder how much was his doing or her own dementia." I could feel this was tearing him apart. Probably sitting in the back of his head until he took care of his own problems. Toushirou telling me was important. He never talked, according to that meeting, to anyone. I decided to be quiet and let him talk.

"She was my first memory here, in the Soul Society." He continued. "She helped me up and took me to now my grandmother's house. She was always kind, and he always teased me. SO bright and happy. We used to watch sunsets eating watermelon on the porch. Even when she was in the academy. She would come home on the days off and eat watermelon and she would tell me about school." Ah, that's why he likes watching the sunset. Mystery solved.

"Then she stopped coming so much. Granny said it was part of growing up, but still… I had no friends, nobody wanted to be mine. When I had to go to the academy, she had just graduated. She told me what to do and where to go, and she promised she'd escort me to the academy tryouts the following year, but she never came.

"She never came to my graduation, either. Granted, I never went to hers. But she was happy when I did see her. She was so, so happy with this 'Captain Aizen.' It was obvious to everyone she had a crush on him. I…"

"Wished it was you?" I said, very quietly. "That if it was, everything would be different? I wished it was me lots of times that died rather than my mom. Would things be different? I wouldn't know, because I would be dead. I honestly think that the pain that my family carries would be any different. My dad said that we have to work with the cards we are dealt with. Rarely do we get a choice to change our hands. I may not know much, but I do know we can't live by 'what if's'"

He chuckled. "Karin, the 11 year old philosophical protégé,"

I punched his shoulder, "Meh, you're just mad about the 11 year old part, old man!"

He slid his legs down to the ground, looking a lot happier. I don't know why, I don't think I answered his questions. Maybe he just needed to say them. Not sure. "So is old man going to replace elementary student?" He asked with a sidelong bemused grin.

I tapped my finger on my cheek. "Hmmm…only if you don't piss me off. If you get me REALLY mad, I'll have to call you Snowy."

He sighed. "You and Yachiru should not have met."

I laughed.

"I guess. Your brother is on a rampage; let's go back before he destroys half the Seireitei, again."

I wanted to ask about that, but I heard my brother calling my name, and saw him, along with Rangiku and Renji looking for me.

"Oh there you are Captain!" Rangiku squealed as she saw us. Then she hugged Toushirou. Either that she was trying to suffocate him. I giggled as I watch him swear and tried to remove himself from her grip. "I got the items you requested!" She said, releasing a gasping Toushirou and holding up bag.

"What items?" I asked as my brother and Renji approached.

He opened the bag and pulled out a handle part of a sword. It looked like his. "Is that Kusaka's?" I asked him.

"Yeah, going to his grave today. I requested this earlier. Despite what I have learned, he was my friend in my heart; I guess I cannot change that." He sighed, putting the handle back in the bag.

"There you are Karin; I was looking all over for you!" Ichigo said, but was giving Toushirou an evil look. I don't know what his problem is, it's not like I haven't had a friend who happened to be a male.

Brothers.

"I was talking to Toushirou, ok? What's up?"

Renji answered me. "Rukia just opened the gate for her and Orihime in the World of the Living, so we need to hurry and get to Sokyoku Hill when they arrive." I liked the red head, even with the excessive tattoos. If he was my age, well closer to my age, we'd be friends.

"Why are Orihime and Rukia Kuchiki coming here?" Toushirou asked. "And where are you going Lieutenant Abarai?" I noticed Renji had a bag over his shoulder.

"Going to be training with Chad, sir. It was requested by Urahara. Since we will be in the basement, Rukia and Orihime are coming here." Renji looked at me, smiling. "I heard you will be training with Tessai, in kido. So we will see each other a lot!"

"You train in the basement of Urahara's shop? That little shop?" I asked, a little surprised. Not a lot of room for swordplay I would have thought but I got a chorus of 'you'll see!' from all the shinigami and my brother.

"I got you bags, Karin. Let's go!" My brother held out my tote and my net of two soccer balls to me. My backpack was on his shoulder. I nodded and took them.

I looked behind me as I walked off, waving at Rangiku and Toushirou. Then I got an idea. "Hold on Ichigo. This will only take a minute!" My brother looked at me, startled as I ran back to Toushirou.

"Here." I handed the net to him.

"Huh?" He stared at me in confusion.

"Your first hobby."

"Nobody plays here, Karin" He answered.

"Then teach them, or kick the wall. Lord knows there are enough walls here. It will be a great stress reliever and will get you some practice when we meet again."

He took the net but he still asked, "Why?"

I turned to walk back to Ichigo, but I looked back at him and said "Because I will kick your ass in a game of one on one, Toushirou! Get practicing if you ever wanna beat me!" He could run circles around me in soccer, but that wasn't the point.

As I ran to catch up with my brother and Renji, I heard Toushiroulaugh and say, "Fat chance Karin!"

I laughed. It would be a great match.

THE END.

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AUTHOR'S RANT

Switching to Karin's POV was the fact it made us see Toushirou, if just for a few moments, in her light. Is there the beginnings of romance here? Yes. Her tomboyish behaviour means she 'borrows' female friends from her sister. No really close friends, cuz boys have cooties in elementary school. And for playing soccer with. Toushirou, with the aura of mystery, slipped by her cootie radar and she was suddenly actually hanging with him!

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the story. It was a labor of love and pain. Please review.


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